An IRS auditor suddenly finds himself the subject of narration only he can hear: narration that begins to affect his entire life, from his work, to his love-interest, to his death. Read more
| Starring | Will Ferrell, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Dustin Hoffman, Queen Latifah |
|---|---|
| Director | Marc Forster |
| Genres | Action/Adventure, Audio Descriptive, Drama, Sci-Fi/Fantasy |
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An IRS auditor suddenly finds himself the subject of narration only he can hear: narration that begins to affect his entire life, from his work, to his love-interest, to his death.
| Starring | Will Ferrell, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Dustin Hoffman, Queen Latifah, Emma Thompson, Tony Hale |
|---|---|
| Director | Marc Forster |
| Studio | SONY PICTURES |
| Run time | DVD: 1 hr 49 mins Blu-ray: 1 hr 49 mins |
| Certificate | |
| Genres | Action/Adventure, Audio Descriptive, Drama, Sci-Fi/Fantasy |
| Language | DVD: English, English Audio Description Blu-ray: English |
| Hearing-impaired | English |
| Subtitles | DVD: English, Hindi |
| Released | DVD: 02 Apr 2007 Blu-ray: 02 Apr 2007 Production year: 2006 |
| Format | DVD |
This is, for me, the Groundhog Day of the 00s. It's a hugely engaging, quirky high-concept film which could have gone so horribly wrong in dozens of ways, and yet - it steers a path through all the potential traps to deliver something that is very funny, very moving and very memorable. Will Ferrell is perfectly cast as Harold Crick and rarely will you feel such empathy with a character in a film as he struggles to come to terms with the strange way in which his life is unfolding. Dustin Hoffman and Emma Thompson bring a richness to their respective supporting roles, and Maggie Gyllenhaal is as winning as usual as the love interest.
The script contains just the right balance of humour, pathos and drama. The opening few minutes may irritate you, as you adjust to the eccentric style and tone of this film, but once it hits its stride, it's truly captivating. There's not quite enough for Queen Latifah to do, and there are a few sections which drag a tiny bit around the middle, but these are small criticisms of a masterly piece of work, which offers something genuinely different and refreshing. The scene in which Hoffman attempts to discern by interrogating Harold what the nature of the narrative is in which he is the hero - a comedy or a tragedy - is a standout moment at the heart of this clever and superb film. I think people will be talking about this film in years to come in the same affectionate manner as they do Groundhog Day. But history may prove me wrong on that. It's just a great example of a film which gets pretty much everything right, and the result is sheer entertainment.
At first I thought Will Ferrell was a unlikely choice for this film but I couldn't have been more wrong.
If you are expecting Will's usual slapstick comedy you will be disappointed. This film is touching and thought provoking, focusing on a man with a very mundane life who (through hearing Emma Thompson's voicew narrating in his head!!!) looks at his life through fresh eyes.
Really worth a watch, and Will Ferrell will suprise you!
Harvey Shine (Dustin Hoffman) is a composer… a composer of jingles. That is, he used to be – as the movie begins he’s been shown the door, he just refuses to go through it. Go he must, though, to attend his daughter’s wedding in London. Harvey’s wife has remarried and it’s clear he wasn’t around as much as he might have been when Susan (Liane Balaban) was growing up. He’s never met the groom. Even so, he’s dismayed to find he’s been... Read more