Stranger Than Fiction: Harold Crick

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An IRS agent named Harold Crick “lives a life full of solitude” and monotony. Harold has done the same things day in and day out for twelve years and one day hears a voice inside his head narrating his life. The narrator is author, Karen Eiffel, who encounters writer's block while trying to come up with the ending to her latest book. Eiffel is known for her tragic endings in her books, where she kills the main character. The issue of time plays such a vital part in Stranger than Fiction: Harold finds solace in his redundant schedule all programed perfectly by his watch. He has been so fixated on time and saving time, yet he did not use this gained time in a meaningful way. The scene begins with Harold Crick at the bus stop after work. His …show more content…

These two words are so profound that they could only cause one of two effects on Harold. The first is it could move him enough to change and be more present in his everyday life. Secondly, Harold might fall apart over this damning prediction. Fortunately for the viewer and Harold it moves him to action. Immediately, he seeks outside help from two experts in order to fight for his mundane existence. He first sees a psychiatrist who tells him he is schizophrenic which Harold knows is not true and is sent to a quirky professor of literature, Jules Hilbert. Hilbert at first dismissed Crick but after the mentioning of the phrase “little did he know” is willing to …show more content…

It is a very classic expression when referring to this mode of narration. This demonstrates to the viewer that the narrator is aware of all the details of Harold’s life, including his deepest thoughts. The literary device can make you feel closer to the narrator opposed to the main character because the narrator has more answers about the character than the character themselves. Although Karen Eiffel narrates a large portion of the movie, I still sensed an odd connection to Harold Crick one normally would not have with a third person omniscient narration. The reason there is a strong link between the viewer and Harold Crick, is the cinematography.
In Stranger than Fiction, The camera angle is very intimate and allows for the feelings of the actors to be intensified. Often times, it feels awkward, as though you are intruding on Crick’s life but it completely works for the film. The usage of numbers to show what is going on in Harold’s head is also very interesting; it helps you have a deeper understanding of his personality. He is said to be “a man of infinite numbers” and “endless calculations.” While Harold is talking to Hilbert in the men’s restroom, numbers are shown all over the tile floor to portray him counting each of

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