We just watched this tonight and really enjoyed it. It's easily my favorite Will Ferrell movie so far. He made it through a whole movie without any fart jokes or Homer Simpson style physical comedy, and he kept his clothes on!
Personally, I don't understand how someone could not appreciate Emma Thompson's brilliant performance in this. Dustin Hoffman was good, but his character didn't seem to have as much to it as hers. She's a bitter, miserable, funny person, and I love the physical aspect of her performance (her disheveled appearance, facial ticks and grimaces, morbid fascinations, bad habits and compulsive behavior, etc.). Of course, it doesn't hurt that I would probably enjoy listening to her read the phone book because I love her voice...
I thought Maggie G.'s character falling for Will Ferrell's character happened in a slightly more substantial way than in most Hollywood films. Her character is supposed to be a smart, thoughtful person, so she sees in Will Ferrell's character somebody who isn't necessarily what he seems. She gives him a chance, and he breaks out of his shell and reveals that he's actually clever, and perceptive. He's not such an ass that he can't realize and apologize for his inappropriate behavior, and make some mildly self-deprecating jokes along the way, all things which can be really charming. Plus he actually listens to her, admits the possibility that she might know more than he does about something, does what she tells him, tries something new, and appreciates the experience, all things that demonstrate he's maybe an OK guy, not some macho jerk.
The postmodernism aspect plus Dustin Hoffman did make me think of "I Heart Huckabees", but this felt more like "Engligh Lit. 101" than "Philosophy 101". But who really expects Hollywood to make films based on advanced treatises of literature or philosophy? At least movies like these at least aspire to be a little weightier than average Hollywood fare, and have decidedly better written dialog if nothing else.
Nowhere in the movie, except indirectly in Dustin Hoffman's character's response to the book, do they actually claim that "little did he know" is an effective narrative phrase, so I don't think you can really go off that particular thing. My impression from his character's reaction to that phrase was that his "whole class" that he taught about it was likely about how trite and bogus that phrase is, but I probably read that into it myself. I really think that people might be reading too much into that. Also, it's a fantastical premise, so frankly it wouldn't really make sense for people to start questioning the fantastical nature of it all. Like if Harry Potter suddenly started thinking, "Hang on a minute, this whole magic thing, I mean, maybe it's all just a load of rubbish!"
I did feel like it was a bit too overtly manipulative toward the end when they kept holding out whether Will Ferrell's character would survive. And it was probably either too long, or too slow in some parts in the middle.
Anyway, I've got to grade this movie relative to movies that come out these days, and give it an A-. It would be great if movies like this were C average Hollywood fare, but currently I don't think they are. Hopefully some day...
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