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Harold Crick has a voice in his head, narrating everything he does. That's reason for concern.

But when the voice starts declaring that Howard is about to suffer a sudden demise, well, that's reason for panic.

Stranger Than Fiction stars Will Ferrell, but it is not a typical Will Ferrell movie. It's a thoughtful, amusing, poignant comedy about the meaning of life. As Harold hunts down the novelist who is crafting his story, he is developing a desire to live.

And while the movie might have settled for a "seize the day, savor the moment" conclusion, the movie is earning raves from Christian film critics for its willingness to go even farther and become a story about selflessness.

What is more, it features memorable supporting performances by Emma Thompson, Dustin Hoffman, and Maggie Gyllenhaal; a romance that has moments of real class (well, for a few minutes, at least); and surprising, inventive special effects, the most remarkable of which is a restrained performance from Ferrell that will give his naysayers second thoughts.

In other words, Marc Forster, the versatile, imaginative director who brought us Finding Neverland, has crafted another winner.

Peter T. Chattaway (Christianity Today Movies) says, "Like Adam Sandler in Punch-Drunk Love, Ferrell is playing a character who resembles some of his other roles, but he reins in any urge he might have had to ham things up; instead, he puts his skills to the service of an ambitious story told by a filmmaker who truly knows his craft."

Regarding the film as a whole, Chattaway points out a few faults. "Movies about fictional artists often falter when they portray the work produced by those artists, especially when the films go out of their way to try to persuade us that the artists in question are really brilliant; once we see or hear the work of art for ourselves, we may not be so convinced. To some degree, Stranger Than Fiction falls into this trap, because we hear enough of Kay's narration to get the impression that it isn't particularly special."

He concludes, "Stranger Than Fiction is not the most satisfying of films, and it may not be as profound as it wants to be, but there are moments here that make it well worth a look."

Greg Wright (Past the Popcorn) says, "Zach Helm's script is pure delight. Not only does it capture the nuances of the creative process as well as Adaptation or Barton Fink (and delight in wry in-jokes about the history of theoretical mathematics), it is a serious and entertaining examination of the question, 'What would you do if you knew for sure that you were going to die?'"

David DiCerto (Catholic News Service) says the screenplay "has a very Charlie Kaufmanesque feel. … By turns sentimental, funny and, in the end, modestly profound … Marc Forster's existential farce touches on issues of fate and free will (you could even call it a Calvinistic comedy) and imparts a wonderful message that the little moments—the smiles, hugs and small acts of kindness—we often relegate to footnote status in the narrative of our daily living are what give life its meaning."

Christopher Lyon and Steven Isaac (Plugged In) say it's "generally pleasant to watch. … [The film] leaves viewers with one amazingly straightforward homily beyond that of wake up and live well. It is that while a good deed done unwittingly is still a good deed, one done with full knowledge of the sacrifice required is the rarest of spiritual services."

Christa Banister (Crosswalk) says, "Stranger Than Fiction is an unconventional but well-crafted fable that will keep you intrigued (and in suspense) until the very end."

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November (Web-only) 2006, Vol. 50