Stranger Than Fiction

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Stranger Than Fiction

PG-13

2006

1h 45m

Comedy

Fantasy

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Popcornmeter

73%

Tomatometer

176 Reviews

85%

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250,000+ Ratings

A mentally unstable IRS auditor (Will Ferrell) hears an author's (Emma Thompson) voice in his head and discovers that he is the ill-fated protagonist of her latest work. While a book-company employee (Queen Latifah) tries to cure the author's case of writer's block, the auditor and a professor (Dustin Hoffman) set out to find the woman and make her change her story.

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Critics Consensus

A fun, whimsical tale about an office drone trying to save his life from his narrator, Stranger Than Fiction features a subdued performances from Will Ferrell that contributes mightily to its quirky, mind-bending affect.

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Anthony Lane

The New Yorker

06/05/2023

The ending may be mush, but the rest has surprising bite.

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Deborah Ross

The Spectator

08/22/2018

There just isn't enough wit or style or verve to pull it off. It takes a great premise and then not only fails to run with it, but also fails to go absolutely anywhere with it at all.

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Brian Tallerico

UGO

03/24/2007

Stranger Than Fiction never rises above its eye-catching premise, ending up as nothing more than a great idea with absolutely nowhere to go.

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Sean Axmaker

Stream on Demand

Apr 26

There’s more than a touch of Charlie Kaufman absurdity to Zach Helm’s screenplay but it’s warmer and less caustic in the way it uses fantasy to plumb human emotions and examines the nature of storytelling.

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Micheal Compton

Bowling Green Daily News

11/20/2019

Helm's strong script is aided by superb direction from Marc Forster and a top-notch cast.

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Kaleem Aftab

The List

11/03/2018

4/5

The manic spirit of Preston Sturges has a hold of this voyage of self-discovery that's packed with laughs and brilliant performances. Thompson in particular hasn't been this inspired for a long time.

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Paul E.

@PassoutTomatoes Mar 19

Original, great cast, well acted. High tension plot that is fully and beautifully resolved.

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Chris P

@RT06285801 Feb 16

Hands down an excellent movie. Great script with great actors. I've watched it 5 times over the last couple of years and still find it entertaining. Well done.

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Melissa L

@Agent99 Jan 13

A very beautiful, and oftentimes funny, story set in, as well as filmed in, Chicago. I loved the ending, as well. I think that this is my favorite Will Ferrell movie, to date.

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Stephen C

@bob25009 Nov 1

Funny in 01 hour, 52 minutes, and 54 seconds!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Rated PG-13 for Nudity, Brief Language, Sexuality and Some Disturbing Images!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Dubbed and subtitled in worldwide studios!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Filmed on November 10th, 2006, in color!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Celebrating 20 years in 2026!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Copyright 2006-2025 by Sony Pictures!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Ed R

@JustcallmeER Oct 5

What an outstanding depressing movie where the creator of a novel controls the details of an IRS agent.

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Jeffrey P

@vanillavoodoo1 Sep 20

Shades of offbeat dark rom-com that’s not Adaptation, not The Truman Show, not Eternal Sunshine on the Spotless Mind, and not Being John Malkovich. When the best part is seeing the main character get hit by a bus, it has to be a miserable viewing experience.

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Marc Forster

Director

Will Ferrell

Harold Crick

Maggie Gyllenhaal

Ana Pascal

Dustin Hoffman

Dr. Jules Hilbert

Queen Latifah

Penny Escher

Emma Thompson

Kay Eiffel

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Synopsis

A mentally unstable IRS auditor (Will Ferrell) hears an author's (Emma Thompson) voice in his head and discovers that he is the ill-fated protagonist of her latest work. While a book-company employee (Queen Latifah) tries to cure the author's case of writer's block, the auditor and a professor (Dustin Hoffman) set out to find the woman and make her change her story.

Director: Marc Forster
Producer: Lindsay Doran
Screenwriter: Zach Helm
Distributor: Sony Pictures
Production Co: Columbia, Mandate Pictures
Rating: PG-13 (Nudity|Brief Language|Sexuality|Some Disturbing Images)
Genre: Comedy, Fantasy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Nov 10, 2006, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Apr 16, 2012
Box Office (Gross USA): $40.1M
Runtime: 1h 45m
Sound Mix: Dolby SRD, DTS, SDDS
Aspect Ratio: Scope (2.35:1)

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