More Stranger Than Fiction

I have been consumed, in the last few days, by the ending of “Stranger than Fiction.” Does good intention absolve a dissatisfying frustration of expectations? Is it is good plot twist when it completely derails the momentum of a narrative? Does the bad taste from the last few minutes of a film ruin the very enjoyable experience that preceded it? Does the full acknowledgment of a weak ending make it less so? I tried very hard to find a yes in all these questions but failed. If the expectation built in 90% of the movie is to be frustrated, it had better be the result of a twist that makes you say “yes, but of course!” In other words, it has to be a far better ending with carefully but covertly. We have to be misdirected but strength of the logic towards the unexpected ending not diminished. The problem of “Stranger than Fiction” is that it convinced us that not having Harold die is a bad idea, agreed by all. It is then turned around for no better reason than the writer does not want him to die. Well, at that point, we may not want Harold to die but we have already ready accepted and understood his death. Even Harold understands and accepted it. If we are to go on a different direction, there had better be a damn good reason! And there is not. It just turned into a tease. If I want a tease, I do not go to movies; there are people I can call and places I can go for that. And for a clumsy tease, well, I do not want it anywhere. It is too bad though, it would have been a truly good movie.