It's A Fact...Stranger Than Fiction Is Great!

First a little about Movie-Watching Gina. I am not an expert on film in any way, shape or form. I am merely a woman who loves the movies I love, for the reasons I love them...that's it, plain and simple. I am of the opinion that many movies that are considered "great," in my assessment, simply are not. I am not one to be swayed by public opinion or hype. In fact, the more hype, the higher my expectations - and level of skepticism - become, and the more likely I am to be disappointed. I really like sitting down to a movie knowing very little about it...then I can experience it with an open mind. That's why I usually prefer movies that fly a bit under the radar...I love the exhilaration of unexpectedly discovering a real gem!

 

Here are some general reasons why I think Stranger Than Fiction is a great movie...

It's not a comedy, though there are numerous hearty laughs as we relate to the characters.

It's got dramatic elements, but it's not heavy.

It's got poignant moments without being cloying.

It's even got a science fiction element to it.

The characters are so richly developed, you feel as if you really know them.

Cinematography is not something I usually notice in a movie I like, because I feel that if I notice those elements, then they were too obvious. If the mechanics of the storytelling try too hard to make an impression on me, I feel manipulated. In this case, however, the use of interesting camera shots, color, - or lack of it - and some breathtaking scenes of characters' flights of fancy all proved very effective in adding a depth of detail to the story without intruding on it.

Casting was unpredictable, yet perfect. Effective casting can make or break the plausibility of the plot and characters. Every role seemed to be a plum, and was played to a T. As a side observation, Dustin Hoffman is growing very distinctively into his maturity - in this girl's opinion!

 

This is a very satisfying movie...one of the most creative mainstream movies I've seen. Though I sometimes sincerely doubt it, movies like this keep me believing that great movies are still being made.

Filmmakers, please keep making movies that are artistic, interesting, intelligent and multi-dimensional...They do have an audience!