Stranger Than Fiction

Play trailer

Stranger Than Fiction

PG-13

2006

1h 45m

Comedy

Fantasy

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

73%

Tomatometer

176 Reviews

85%

Popcornmeter

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.

Watch on Fandango at Home

Stream Now

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.

Read Critics Reviews

Anthony Lane

The New Yorker

06/05/2023

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

Go to Full Review

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.

Go to Full Review

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.

Go to Full Review

Sean Axmaker

Stream on Demand

04/26/2025

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.

Go to Full Review

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.

Go to Full Review

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.

Go to Full Review

Read all reviews

Ezra R

@ejrrrr May 9

Meta meta cool cool cool

See more

din D

@L1J2K3 May 8

A great and smart love story and just like Truman Show and moment in time seeing a crazy actor act seriously and well. This showing for Will Ferrel's true ability and a strong love story creates an awesome movie. The story is so good/smart and its executed just about perfectly.

See more

Michael G.

@micgriffin12 Apr 20

Odd but wonderful. Heartwarming and creative movie comes outta left field. Maggie Gyllenhaal severely underrated.

See more

Paul E.

@PassoutTomatoes Mar 19

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

See more

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.

See more

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.

See more

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

POST RATING

Marc Forster

Director

Will Ferrell

Harold Crick

Maggie Gyllenhaal

Ana Pascal

Dustin Hoffman

Dr. Jules Hilbert

Queen Latifah

Penny Escher

Emma Thompson

Kay Eiffel

Stranger Than Fiction: Official Clip - Narration Freakout

2:13

Stranger Than Fiction: Official Clip - You Have to Die

3:15

Stranger Than Fiction: Official Clip - I'm in a Tragedy

4:16

Stranger Than Fiction: Official Clip - I Want You

3:25

Stranger Than Fiction: Official Clip - Buying a Guitar

1:25

Stranger Than Fiction: Official Clip - Harold Crick Dies

2:29

Stranger Than Fiction: Official Clip - Meeting the Author

2:45

Stranger Than Fiction: Official Clip - Whole Wide World

3:34

Stranger Than Fiction: Official Clip - Taxman in Love

4:02

View more videos

Bruce Almighty

48%

57%

Bruce Almighty

Watchlist

Dark Shadows

35%

46%

Dark Shadows

Watchlist

Click

34%

66%

Click

Watchlist

Death Becomes Her

58%

62%

Death Becomes Her

Watchlist

Blithe Spirit

28%

32%

Blithe Spirit

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Blithe Spirit

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

Rank Will Ferrell’s 10 Best Movies

Will Ferrell’s 10 Best Movies

Digital Multiplex: Wreck-It Ralph, Manhunter, Big Fish, and More

View more photos

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)