Stranger Than Fiction - Un incubo senza fine

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.

This is a film that draws you as it begins as a bar story and progresses into a wonderfully complex story as one situation spins out of control. A worthwhile rental or even a good purchase for a collection. The characters are complex and diverse and play off each other well. A similar film is Shallow Grave a British Import from 1994 or the great American Film, The Usual Suspects.

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!")

Ok, well I caught this film at like 4:30 in the morning on Cinemax and I wasn't expecting much..Not that you can necessarily trust the ratings assigned to movies, but this one got 1 star.So I am thinking its probably gonna bore me to death...Well I missed the first 5 minutes or so, but from there on I found myself quite engrossed in the movie..It has its flaws and at times it does become a little contrived, but overall I found it to be a prety decent movie..Very well-acted, it has the always beautiful Dina Meyer which certainly doesn't hurt, and the twists and turns will keep you guessing throughout..The end of the movie as one of the other reviewers on here stated is done quite strange, but done for a reason to show exactly why things unfolded the way they did. Choose "Stranger Than Fiction" as a rental one night, go into it with an open mind, and I think you will find this one to be a pretty good ride. On a scale of 4 stars, I give this one a 2.5

I rented this because it seemed original and had a potentially good story. I wasn't sure what the story really was all about, but I was in a rush, and needed something quick.

Maybe I should have slowed down a bit....

First, my customary plot summary. (Past reviews of mine usually follow the same format. Not like you care, but that doesn't matter. You've read my comment and now you can't unread it....I'm sorry, I'm drifting.) Anyhow!! The story starts in an airport bar with an author talking with a man next to him. They start talking about his writing, and his recent book, "Stranger Than Fiction." Then he starts to delve into the story, which is, basically, about four twenty-somethings that get involved in a murder, and the perilous downward spiral their lives go in as an effect. It goes deeper than that, much deeper, but I'll spare you all the details, only because I rambled enough before and am catching myself doing it again.

As for my reactions...Well, the movie didn't thrill me. First of all, it was way too long for such a plotline. And as for the plotline...well, I couldn't figure out at all where this movie was going! It starts as a "thrust into treachery" sort of tale, but then it starts to get funny. Some of the humor is appropriate, but if this isn't a comedy...then it didn't fit. But then, it gets into this thriller-comedy-drama thing, and really gets confusing. By then, I was starting to get tired and figured the end was near. But then it gets twisted, then dramatic--then goes into this Part Two that seemed totally tacked on! It was almost like the "Part Two" seemed to be one of a few choices to be the last 30% of the movie. I don't know, it was just getting too contrived then, and sort of tense, but by then, I gave up on this one. There are a few good things. Good acting, effective music, an obvious-yet-not twist in the end (though, the cast list gives it away a little bit) and the way the movie would go into the alternate, film-negative sort of look was creative. But didn't save this messy film.

Check it out for originality, but I hate to say that it really isn't that good. So, you be the judge.