Stranger Than Fiction

I didn't have any expectations about this movie, so it was a nice surprise. Four friends end up with having to dispose of a body and things turn nasty. The acting is not exactly brilliant but you can live with that. It starts of as sort of a black comedy, well that is the best way I can describe it, and it takes all kinds of twists and turns towards the end. It's just good solid entertainment. If you like this one I would also recommend Shallow Grave (1995).

While waiting for their flight in a bar of an airport, the writer Donovan Miller (Todd Field) tells the story of his best-seller to a stranger to kill time. In Lake City, Violet Madison (Natascha Gregson Wagner), Austin Walker (Todd Field), Emma Scarlett (Dina Meyer) and Jared Roth (Mackenzie Astin) are good friends. After going together to a bar, Jared comes wounded to Austin's apartment in the late night and confesses that he is gay and has just killed a man in his apartment. He asks to his friends to help him to vanish with the body of the victim. The group agrees, and after many incidents, Violet stresses, jeopardizing the group. Many secrets are disclosed along this surprisingly good thriller, with lots of plot points and black humor. The story, including its presentation, is very original and enjoyable. In some moments, I recalled the magnificent "Shallow Grave" and "Mystery Date". This unknown movie deserves to be discovered in the rentals or in the stores. When you think that there is no more surprises in the screenplay, the plot has another twist. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "Calafrio!" ("Chill!")

In the beginning it feels like something is missing but in the end you will know why. It's a small production and has the feel of a USA movie even with the director's attempt to give it a more gritty texture. I was put off at the start because of the acting, however, the acting and the story both continue to improve as the movie nears the conclusion. The story is told well and keeps all of it's secrets quiet until the right moments. I am not going to slam this movie because lets face it, it was not meant to be a blockbuster but it really did surprise me. This is not one to buy, but it is certainly worth watching. Just make sure you stick with it all the way to the end. Not bad at all.

Someone Else Mentioned "Heathers" that is a good comparison for this movie

This movie is about mob behavior in a mob of only four.Very original movie about four friends who move from situation to situation with a murder being the solution. Of course the situations are contrived but isn't "tongue in cheek" always so. Still very much worth watching for its originality and acting.

The story is entertaining although the movie is not very strong. Probably due to lack of experience it misses something. Strong acting for one thing. But the thing that bothered me the most is that they didn't try to make an ongoing story of it. Some things aren't explained in the movie itself but by a narrator who has to tie some loose ends together in the end to finish the story That is what i think is very cheap and non professional.

This movie gave me the impression that they had a four hour television series and tried to cut into 100 minutes to make a movie out of it. They failed!

But after all these negative things it is time to name some good sides. The twists are very nice and also the reaction of the different characters when they get deeper in deeper in the sh*t. And it is not some standard Hollywood action movie you have seen millions of times before.

rating: 3 out of 5