\"Stranger Than Fiction,\" is an odd comedy about an arthur holding a character hostage in theats of killing him in the novel. Will Ferrell plays an IRA agent who is a subject of a novel play by Emma Thompson. She\'s plays an Arthor who would rather write tragedies as will as sins. In her past boos all dealing with tragedies involving heroes and good men. And Ferrell is the subject of her book. I tried to like Emma thompson, but her smoking get in the way of her character. If it wren\'t for that, I coul\'d\'ve like her more. Ferrell didn\'t add nothing new to his character. But the reason why I like \"Stranger Than Fiction\" alot is not Ferrell or Thompson. It\'s Maggie Gyllenhaal as the owner of a bagel factory who refuse to pay taxas because of the war. One of her Best lines of the year is,\"Get Bent Tax Man!\" I even like her tattoo. To me, the real star of \"Stranger Than Fiction is Maggie Gyllenhaal.She brings life to the movie. She stole the movie from both Ferrell and Thompson. When she appears on the screen, I couldn\'t take my eyes off her.

I had fun with this movie. It's not your typical Will Ferrell comedy, no matter what the publicity campaign wants you to think. It's actually a postmodern sort of headtrip, like a Charlie Kaufman flick only more grounded and less nonsensical.

Ferrell plays Harold Crick, who, as we find out in hilarious fashion, is hearing the voice narrating his ever action that we hear throughout the film. Turns out Harold is a character in a great author's masterpiece, and that she's planning to kill him. That's the gist of the plot. Emma Thompson is delightful as the author with an odd way of disposing of her cigarettes. Dustin Hoffman appears as a literature professor who Crick goes to for advice (his character comes off a little more villainous than I think was intended, and also seems to sum some things up a bit too neatly). Maggie Gyllenhaal is the love interest and is as radiant and lovable as ever. The only out-of-place bit of casting is Queen Latifah, whose character seems written only to provide Thompson's character with someone to talk to when she's not narrating Crick's life. Still, she does well with what she's given.

Ferrell gives a good turn, and what doesn't work really isn't his fault as an actor, but more the result of my experiences watching him. I have a hard time buying him as a romantic lead after movies like "Elf" and "Anchorman", but he does have chemistry with Gyllenhaal. He also sings in one scene, and while his voice isn't terrible all I could think about was the Ron Burgundy rendition of "Afternoon Delight". Other than that, Ferrell does a great job, surpassing his little-seen gem of a performance in "Winter Passing" with Ed Harris and Zooey Daschenel.

If you're looking for a genuinely original, funny movie for the holidays, "Stranger Than Fiction" is a great bet. I'm giving it the highest rating despite my misgivings, because those are really just tiny drops in an ocean of genuine goodness. I left this movie with a big smile on my face: it's fun, funny, original, and genuinely heartwarming. Check it out. ***1/2 out of 4.

This movie was really interesting. Don't expect the usual Will Ferrell comedy- it's subtle humor. It was different.