Rating of
3/4
Solid Writing
Franz Patrick - wrote on 10/18/08
Strangely enough, I found Will Farrell more fascinating here than in his other films where he usually plays a dumb goofball. His character is mature but has his moments of absolute silliness, sentimental and sensitive, and best of all, we care about what would happen to him. Farrell’s performance is equalled by the supporting cast: Emma Thompson, Maggie Gyllenhaal and Queen Latifah. All of them are intelligent characters that capture the essence of regular people in real life. I think this is the kind of movie that one would do better without questioning every logic. Yes, it’s imaginative and quirky (and some events that drive the story are impossible) but that’s part of the fun. It’s a surreal comedy and we just have to accept it for what it is. I found this film to be very literate and involving; not to mention pretty much everything that’s going on in this film, from Thompson’s writer’s block to the romance between Gyllenhaal and Farrell, works. Lastly, I thought it was a smart move when the filmmakers decided to let Farrell and Thompson meet a little bit more than the half-way mark. I thought that their big reunion would happen in the end, so I was surprised. That way, we get to really understand the many complex issues between the writer and her subject. I think this is a really good film that is comparable to “Being John Malkovich” (though less grand in scope) in many respects.
