This week, we’re discussing one among Emma’s favourite consolation watch films for decor and residential inspiration. That is an ongoing collection for us, and this week’s choice is Stranger Than Fiction, directed by Marc Foster and written by Zach Helm.
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Present Notes:
Harold’s Condo:
- Seems like an IKEA catalog
- Very plain and bland
- Represents his boring life
Karen’s Workplace:
- Sterile and bland
- Spilled espresso and cigarettes in all places
- Not a number of furnishings
Ana’s Bakery (The Rebellion):
- Eclectic and messy cute
- Industrial and really open
Ana’s Condo:
- Thrift store, boho, and comfortable
- Nothing matches
- Cool and bizarre gentle fixture above the eating desk
Professor Hilbert’s Workplace:
- Elsie’s favourite inside within the film
- A contemporary workplace that’s half home windows with floor-to-ceiling bookshelves
Price the Film From 0 to five Wristwatches:
Elsie – 5 wristwatches
Emma – 5 wristwatches
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Episode 186 Transcript:
Emma: You’re listening to the A Lovely Mess Podcast, your cozy consolation pay attention. This week we’re discussing one among my favourite consolation watch films of all time, Stranger Than Fiction. That is an ongoing collection for us and we’re actually enthusiastic about this film, and it was directed by Mark Foster and written by Zach Helm.
Elsie: Okay, so this film is from 2006. I used to be simply posting this morning on Instagram, footage of it that I used to be watching it. I’ve been making an attempt to do this a little bit extra to provide individuals a warning of what film’s gonna be subsequent, and lots of people messaged me and didn’t know what the film was, which I used to be type of stunned by the clips I confirmed.
Emma: I do really feel like that is much less identified of all of the consolation rewatch we’ve completed up to now. That is a lot much less identified than something we’ve completed up to now, I believe.
Elsie: Yeah, I believe it’s gone a little bit bit below the radar additionally it’s 2006 is a fairly very long time in the past.
Emma: I used to be in faculty. Yeah.
Elsie: I used to be like trying it up on this film, it’s Will Ferrell is the star of this film, and this solely got here out like three years after Elf got here out, which to me that’s like a very long time in the past, or it feels prefer it at the least.
Emma: Yeah. Do you wanna give a synopsis? Since so many individuals haven’t seen this, we higher inform ’em what it’s about.
Elsie: Sure. Okay. Everybody is aware of that your life is a narrative, however what if a narrative was your life? Harold Crick, performed by Will Ferrell is your common IRS agent, monotonous, boring, and repetitive. Nicely, that’s a little bit imply, however sooner or later this all adjustments when Harold begins to listen to an creator in his head narrating his life, the narrator is very correct, and Harold realizes that the voice is an esteemed creator that he noticed on tv. When the narration reveals that he’s going to die, Harold should discover the creator of the story and finally his life to persuade her to vary the ending of the story earlier than it’s too late.
Emma: Yeah. So I really feel like that’s a part of what I liked about this film. So I first noticed it in theaters when it got here out in 2006 and I used to be in faculty as a result of I keep in mind I noticed a good friend of mine from faculty and it was like a type of pals the place we might at all times sit by one another on this one philosophy class, and we might at all times share notes and we have been pals for positive, however we by no means frolicked outdoors of sophistication.
Elsie: Like seeing your trainer on the grocery retailer.
Emma: Yeah. It was like, I ran into him on the movie show and we’re each type of like, oh. Hello, and it was virtually like this little little bit of awkwardness as a result of it was like, we’re pals. Like we actually speak each week, however we simply had by no means frolicked, socially. Simply, I don’t know, it’s humorous how faculty is. So one way or the other that type of stands proud in my thoughts so far as issues I keep in mind from first seeing this film. And I don’t keep in mind who I noticed this with, who is aware of. You need to have seen it with that good friend as a result of he was superior. However anyway. So a number of occasions after we do consolation re-watches, we do love the films. We do at all times love the films, but in addition a number of occasions we’re type of speaking concerning the inside design and the vibes, and we’re gonna discuss that for positive. However for me, this film was extra about the way it’s type of constructed round being literary, it’s like imagined to be about an creator who’s writing a guide, and it seems that character is actual. And so, it’s very a lot doing a number of literary tropes and making an attempt to be type of witty with these forms of issues. And I simply liked it. I like studying and so I like all of the scenes the place he’s like with the professor making an attempt to determine what sort of guide he’s in. Like they’re making an attempt to determine if he’s in a comedy or a tragedy or if he’s fixing a homicide thriller or if he has magical powers or all these items, and it’s simply very, very humorous and enjoyable and type of jogs my memory of all the good books I’ve learn on the identical time. Nevertheless it’s positively a bizarre film, which is why I really feel such as you’ve both seen it and also you’re like, have an concept about it otherwise you’ve by no means seen it as a result of it’s only a very random, bizarre film. Do you keep in mind the primary time you noticed it?
Elsie: I don’t keep in mind the primary time I noticed it. I do know that I had a DVD of it if you would nonetheless have a DVD assortment, greater than 10 years in the past.
So it was a film that I actually liked and I suppose the factor I most keep in mind about it’s that this was the period, like I mentioned, it was just a few years after ELF got here out. On this period, Will Ferrell was one of many greatest film stars for a little bit of time and I believe he’s like tremendous cute on this film. I like type of have a crush on him. And I did a survey on Instagram and nearly all of individuals additionally expertise some type of crush. So I believe it’s lovable that he had his rom-com second and yeah, so I suppose I used to be actually targeted on that, and I additionally love Maggie Gyllenhaal within the film, I believe she seems to be so cute. Additionally, have a factor for Dustin Hoffman and his character’s actually cool and simply looks as if somebody you’d wanna hang around with on this film, his workplace it, as soon as we get into it, his workplace is for positive my favourite inside house within the film by like a mile. It’s actually good, and simply the volunteer lifeguard duties. It’s simply actually cute, It’s a really candy film, and I suppose I must also say this film has so many well-known individuals in it that I used to be like, I forgot 99% of them, I simply remembered the principle two. But additionally Emma Thompson is so cool on this film, she was kinda stressing me out rather a lot together with her shaky, shaky fingers with the cigarettes all through it, however yeah, she was very cool. She positively performed the form of pretentious creator, very effectively. I type of do have a number of love for her as effectively, like so many good films.
Emma: I do too. And oddly sufficient too, could not point out this in one other half, so I wanna point out it now, Queen Latifah’s in it too. She performs Emma Thompson’s assistant that’s despatched by the writer to assist her end her guide, and they also type of have this form of preventing relationship all through. And he or she’s actually humorous on this film too, however she’s a really stoic, calm presence as a result of she’s imagined to be an individual who likes that can assist you end your guide. However anyway, she’s nice on this too.
Elsie: Within the early two 1000’s Queen Latifah was in like each film for a time or like each film that I watched for a very long time. So yeah, it positively is a time capsule in some ways of the early two 1000’s or I suppose just like the mid two thousand however yeah, I assumed it aged very well, there was nothing about it the place I used to be like that aged horribly. I believe it’s form of believably the final positively decade or the final time in my lifetime when not everybody was on their telephones. As a result of I seen there are hardly any cell telephones within the film, and that positively modified within the coming 10 years, it was like, when you wanna make a contemporary film, then everybody has a telephone on a regular basis. On this film, they’re nonetheless utilizing payphones and stuff, which is type of enjoyable.
Emma: Sure. Landlines. Yeah. Watches.
Elsie: Sure. I like that. Love that pre-cellphone period, for positive.
Emma: Yeah, and on this film, really his watch is a little bit little bit of a personality like his watch is sort of a little bit bit sentient and causes issues to occur, which is form of one thing that like will get narrated and it feels very literary and it’s simply type of wacky. I additionally really feel like this film does such an incredible job of like, serving to you. We have been speaking about this the opposite day, Elsie and I, that some books would make wonderful films, after which there are occasions you learn a guide and also you’re like, I like this as a guide, and I actually hope they don’t make it right into a film. And I really feel like this does such an incredible job of exhibiting you a few of the ridiculousness of like, good guide issues that when you put them right into a film, it’s type of like, what? And it’s enjoyable. It’s like enjoyable. I believe it’s meant to be, you understand, it’s a romantic comedy, that’s what this film is, and so it’s very satisfying in that approach.
Elsie: Okay, so on my tally of what number of occasions I cried, it’s my transferring week and that is part of it, however I cried 3 times. I really feel prefer it actually solely ought to have been one, however it’s type of a candy film and I cried rather a lot on the finish. So yeah, I believe I’m simply within the feels-good-to-cry second proper now, but it surely positively had some crying alternatives all through.
Emma: I at all times, this might need some spoilers, heads up everybody, however this film’s been out since we mentioned it’s 2006, it’s on you.
Elsie: Spoilers are to be anticipated.
Emma: Yeah, however the half the place he’s taking part in the guitar, he’s like, I’m studying to play guitar, and he’s at his quickly to be girlfriend’s home, they usually’re having like type of their first date. And he or she’s like, oh, play one thing, she has a guitar, and he’s like, I actually solely know one track. I don’t know. However then he does, he begins to play it, and I actually love his efficiency of it as a result of it felt like he was simply studying. It didn’t really feel like, oh, he actually is aware of easy methods to play and he actually is aware of easy methods to sing. It felt like an actual one that was doing a very good job taking part in this track. Nevertheless it’s a little bit tiny bit awkward and it makes it type of susceptible and actually particular. And he or she is seeing him taking part in this track and it’s simply actually cute. After which she like goes as much as him to provide him a kiss and him taking part in and singing cuts out they usually convey up within the soundtrack the actual track with the total band after which they’re like making out, and it’s actually cute. It’s simply one among my favourite scenes in a rom-com. It’s so candy and attractive and foolish.
Elsie: It’s an excellent film makeout second.
Emma: Yeah, it’s so good, I like that. After which there’s this half firstly of the date the place he brings her flowers, she’s a baker and he brings her all these several types of flowers. And every time I used to be courting my husband, Trey, he did that as a result of he knew how a lot I like this film and I like baking. And so he introduced me precisely the identical appear like little baggage of flowers, and so we have been we watched this collectively once more the opposite evening in preparation for me recording this. And I used to be identical to, I keep in mind if you purchased me flowers. It’s identical to this candy little factor in a film that I simply love as a result of I like baking. I simply wanna be identical to Maggie Gyllenhaal on this film, she’s so cool.
Elsie: Her bakery, it’s like, it’s iconic, and her character is basically cute. Yeah, I like it. Okay, so this film it’s not Knives Out, it doesn’t have the long-lasting decor, however it is extremely cute and candy, it has moments. Okay, so I’ll simply begin with my favourite, so Professor Hilbert’s workplace, and identical to the best way he at all times, at all times, at all times, at all times has a espresso in his hand. And I don’t know, he’s identical to actually lovable, however he has form of this like trendy workplace, the TAF home windows, the place it’s, you’re like sitting looking at these lovely views of some faculty campus. I don’t know what it’s. I believe that the IRS is in North Carolina. Am I improper?
Emma: I believe there are a number of IRS areas, and I imagine that is set in New York.
Elsie: Yeah, you’re proper, there are a number of New York Metropolis scenes in it, so I don’t know why I mentioned that. Okay, so the remainder of his workplace, it’s like flooring to ceiling bookshelves they usually’re stuffed like the comfortable approach the place you imagine that there’s like a little bit TV stuffed in there. You imagine that it’s like his actual books, like there’s a approach to make a bookshelf look actual and there’s a approach to make it look faux. And this, it seems to be actually, actually, actually actual. I simply love listening to him speak, asking all of the inquiries to Harold to attempt to outline who may very well be the creator who’s narrating his story. It’s all simply so candy. So anyway, that was my favourite house. After which, I don’t know, I’ve this bizarre factor the place I actually preferred the nostalgic feeling when he’s like in his lifeguard’s chair. I really feel like that form of indoor pool is an enormous a part of my childhood. After which the opposite house that I actually like Anna’s Bakery and Anna’s residence. So her bakery is type of identical to a daily New York bakery, it’s lovely. It’s cute.
Emma: They make it look very cramped. Like you may see the carts with all of the trays of issues are type of round. So it’s like actually cute in there and feels eclectic and messy cute, but it surely additionally seems to be a little bit industrial and really open so far as half the kitchen’s at the least open.
Elsie: And her residence may be very like a thrift store girl boho, cozy. It’s very eclectic, I believe that might positively be the proper phrase to outline it by, nothing’s matching, and she or he’s acquired a tiny, small television. It’s simply candy, it’s cute. It’s what you assume that an residence for somebody who’s of their twenties or thirties, a small single girl’s residence ought to appear like. It simply seems to be cozy. Yeah, when you do watch it after, then positively be careful for like the sunshine fixture in her, like a buffer eating room desk I assumed was like actually cool and bizarre. I don’t know, what the suitable search time period is for it. However I noticed one the opposite day on eBay and I keep in mind considering it’s not one thing that I’d put in my home. It’s not the suitable period, however it’s positively beautiful and in additional of a seventies approach, like very vibey.
Emma: Yeah. It’s type of seventies boho feeling like this form of hanging issues. So possibly we must also point out Harold’s residence in Karen’s workplace. Karen is the creator who’s writing the guide that Harold’s in. So Harold’s residence I really feel like they’re simply making an attempt to inform us one thing about him with it. That’s all you really want to know as a result of it feels identical to an IKEA catalog. It looks like a resort room that no person lives in that simply acquired cleaned, it’s extraordinarily plain, extraordinarily bland. It doesn’t appear like somebody really lives there, as a result of they’re making an attempt to drive residence that like Harold doesn’t actually reside. As a result of on this film that’s form of what the film’s about is he’s discovering his life and residing it. So that they’re telling a narrative by the set and as such it’s not a really inspiring place. And about midway by the film, it will get semi-demolished as a result of he tries one thing with Professor Hilbert the place he does nothing for a day, seeing if that strikes the plot ahead or not. And like a crane comes by his window they usually form of have been like, okay, so the plot strikes with out you. So it will get form of destroyed, which is type of humorous, it’s a really humorous second. However I type of needed to say, so then his good friend from the IRS, goes to stick with him, and he mentions eager to go to house camp. One among his strains within the film is like, you’re by no means too outdated for house camp, dude. He’s into house, and when you like discover there are many particulars in his residence. Even just like the meals they’re consuming at dinner the place it seems to be like Star Trek.
Elsie: It’s probably the most like pod sleeping like Star Trek trying residence constructing. I don’t even know the way they discovered a location like that. It’s very cute.
Emma: Yeah, it’s actually humorous and only a enjoyable little random element. It’s not very a lot the film takes place in there, but it surely’s simply type of attention-grabbing. After which Karen’s workplace, just like Harold, however otherwise. It feels very sterile and never very lived in, it’s very stark prefer it looks like somebody with melancholy lives there and works there as a result of it’s like sheep.
Elsie: Yeah, there’s like a spilled espresso, and a number of cigarettes in all places. And that’s form of your entire aesthetic.
Emma: And like hardly any furnishings. So it’s like, clearly she doesn’t need anybody to come back over and have a seat as a result of there can be nowhere for them to sit down. So it’s only a very empty, but it surely’s type of fairly, it’s very like black and white and trendy trying. However yeah, it’s meant to point out us about her, which she’s very, like in her head, she’s an creator and it’s additionally like she’s type of going by this author’s block factor. They talked about too all through the film that she hasn’t been seen in 10 years, she’s type of a recluse. So I believe possibly she’s going by some issues in her life let’s imagine. I don’t know. I don’t actually wanna say melancholy as a result of I don’t actually know if that’s what the character’s going by. However she’s clearly bordered herself away and feels very caught in her work and is making an attempt to determine that out.
Elsie: Yeah, I believe they stunning clearly talk that she’s like going by struggles, and like some type of psychological well being struggles and it’s unhappy to observe, but in addition inspiring in some elements.
Emma: Yeah, and I believe too, like Queen Latifah’s character, the assistant, I really feel like her identify’s Penny, however I can’t keep in mind now. However she is type of like they’re making an attempt to assist her and it truthfully jogs my memory a lot of after I’m going by like a downtime generally I’m like, no, I don’t wanna go on a stroll. No, I don’t wanna name my good friend. No, I don’t wanna go, you understand, and that’s type of what Karen’s wish to Queen Latifah’s character. She’s very like, no, I’m not gonna do your flashcard factor to determine, you understand, Queen Latifah’s character is mainly making an attempt to assist her, and she or he’s simply, very a lot refusing all the assistance. I’m like, I do know what that’s like. I’ve completed that earlier than.
Elsie: Yeah, I believe that the coziness of this film, it’s not as a lot within the interiors, however you’ll really feel it all through. So yeah, when you’re on the fence, positively give it a watch. It’s on our listing of favourite films, so it needs to be good. in my film room, I’ve all these posters, I even have one among Stranger Than Fiction.
Emma: I like it. Nevertheless it’s positively bizarre, however yeah when you’ve by no means seen it, I positively would test it out. It’s wild. Benefit from the journey.
Elsie: By the best way, I’d say I like getting requests for the Consolation Rewatch episodes. It’s so enjoyable as a result of they’re all so totally different and individuals are very captivated with their picks. So anytime you’re feeling within the temper, ship us a passionate request to your favourite film, and we truthfully most likely will get to it as a result of I believe we’ll be doing this section for a number of years, it’s like one among our favourite issues to do. Okay. It’s trivia time. Whereas filming Will Ferrell wore an earpiece that fed him Emma Thompson’s narrative strains as a way to help the opposite solid members in reacting extra naturally to Ferrell’s, seemingly non-sequitur strains. So, yeah, he has a number of elements all through the film the place he’s like, Hey, like that, you understand, to the, yeah, to the sky or no matter.
Emma: I used to be curious if they’d somebody off digicam saying the strains and everybody’s listening to them. However yeah, that is really actually attention-grabbing that they went by the difficulty of solely Will can hear the strains and everybody round him is simply reacting to him solely. In order that’s fairly attention-grabbing really. Okay, the following one is the film Harold sees within the theater after he’s instructed to reside his life is Monty Python’s, the Which means of Life, which is from 1983. They see him in a movie show and he’s type of simply blowing off work or no matter and simply residing life, in order that’s type of cute that’s what the film is that he’s watching. You’ll be able to inform it’s an outdated film, however yeah, I couldn’t inform what it was to be sincere, in order that’s humorous.
Elsie: The title of the film comes from a well-known quote from Lord Byron’s, Don Juan, tis unusual, however true for reality is at all times unusual, stranger than fiction. If it may very well be instructed, how a lot would novels acquire by the trade, how in another way the world would males behold. I at all times puzzled if Stranger Issues comes from, like Stranger Issues have occurred, As a result of they sound the identical, but it surely’s prefer it’s from a very totally different quote, or is it from type of the identical quote?
Emma: I believe they’re from totally different quotes, however I don’t actually know what Stranger Issues comes from. I at all times thought it meant there are stranger issues or you understand, stranger issues on the market, no matter.
Elsie: Yeah. Stranger Than Fiction is a superb quote. I like it.
Emma: Yeah, it’s a very good identify for this film too. Good choose. The novel that Karen Eiffel is writing that Will Ferrell’s characters known as Demise and Taxes, and this can be a reference to the well-known quote. On this world, nothing may be mentioned to make certain besides Demise and Taxes, which was written by Benjamin Franklin in an outdated letter from 1789.
Elsie: I’ll say, I hate that quote. It’s such a downy downer, I don’t know. I imply clearly, it’s true. It’s humorous. I suppose it’s only a miserable, humorous joke, no matter. However yeah, I believe Demise and Taxes, it’s not a novel that I’d choose up. So I’m glad it was faux, however I don’t know, I suppose I liked within the film how Professor Hilbert’s character thinks that she’s like such a genius although. That made me extra and I type of want, like she says in a single half, one other character that she killed in one other guide and I want that we knew extra of them as a result of that’s what she’s identified for as like at all times killing a personality like a beloved character on the finish of each guide. Anyway, I’m glad it’s known as Stranger Than Fiction and Not Demise and Taxes.
Emma: I’d’ve preferred it both approach. Okay. One other trivia is that Emma Thompson wore no make-up on this film. Which I believe is fairly attention-grabbing. She has nice pores and skin really.
Elsie: I assumed she seems to be nice. That’s what I used to be considering too. That is bizarre, however you understand how in Love Truly, she’s imagined to be Hugh Grant’s sister, I assumed on this film she appeared extra like she may very well be his sister. I don’t know if it was like her haircut, I simply was like, I may see it, however this isn’t the suitable place, the not the suitable time, and never the suitable place.
Emma: Yeah, I suppose I see that. Yeah. I additionally assume it’s simply type of a daring alternative. I assume it was her alternative, or at the least clearly she went together with it. Loved if another person was making the selection, she was clearly on board.
Elsie: It matches her character very effectively.
Emma: It does, it very a lot matches her character. I additionally assume it’s simply daring to be like, I’m gonna be in a significant film and I’m going to put on no make-up, and it most likely saved her a ton of time. She didn’t have to point out as much as hair and make-up so early.
Elsie: That’s true. Oh my gosh. A reoccurring theme is how Harold’s wristwatch adjustments his life. There are a number of scenes by which Harold sits on the bench outdoors Anna’s bakery. There’s a big spherical window on the wall that resembles a watch by which Harold seems to be at Anna. That’s cute. Yeah. I do love a spherical window.
Emma: I do too as a result of it simply stands out. I like it. Okay, talking of watches, how would you fee this film from zero to 5 wristwatches?
Elsie: Undoubtedly a 5. I imply, there’s nothing unhealthy about it. There’s the whole lot good. I assumed it held up. I suppose I type of was anxious that I’d’ve thought it was higher again within the day after which watched it now and been like, uh, you understand. However I nonetheless actually loved it. I imply, I cried 3 times.
Emma: I like this film. Apart from Knives Out, that is most likely my different favourite film as a result of I simply get pleasure from it and like it. However I’ll say, I do assume the truth that they’re type of gonna let Harold die as a result of they assume the ending of her guide is so good, is a little bit bit unbelievable, however then they take it again. Nevertheless it’s just a bit bit unbelievable. To me, it’s like this can be a rom-com. Not the whole lot needs to be like good for me. I really feel just like the film works anyway, so I don’t actually care. So anyway, I’m giving it 5 watches.
Elsie: I type of believed that half.
Emma: Yeah, I assumed the unhappy ending was superior to letting him reside. I imply, her guide was known as Demise and Taxes, after which she doesn’t kill him, but it surely’s like she’s gone on her personal hero’s journey. Similar to Harold has, as a result of he’s now modified his life a lot, and she or he’s additionally modified the best way she writes and what she cares about. So you understand, we have now two protagonists on this film in a approach. However anyway, I prefer it. It’s enjoyable. 5 wrist watch.
Elsie: Yep. You hear that may Ferrell 5 watches for you. Okay. It’s now time to go over a joke and a truth with Nova. Hey Nova, do you may have a joke for us or a truth this week?
Nova: A joke.
Elsie: Okay. I’m prepared.
Nova: What does pumpkin eat?
Elsie: What?
Nova: Pumpkin pie.
Elsie: Oh, that’s a very good one. We hope you loved this episode. Please proceed to ship us all your requests. We have now been conserving a log of them. We do about one a month, in order that’s like 12 a 12 months. So possibly we’ll get to yours this decade.
Emma: So we’ll get there, maintain ’em coming.
Elsie: We are going to maintain going and you may electronic mail us anytime at podcast@abeautifulmess.com. Subsequent week we’re speaking about what it was like furnishing my new home from fully scratch.
