youthworkblog.co.uk: Stranger than Fiction

Sunday, July 01, 2007

Stranger than Fiction - film clip ideas

I watched Stranger than Fiction last night. It's basically about this tax man who starts hearing a voice in his head. The voice is narrating his life. It turns out that he is a character in a book and the voice is the author.

You could use this film to look at issues such as fate, 'loving your enemies', dealing with conflict...for example:

Chapter 1 and 2 (about 8 mins). During these scenes we are introduced to Harold Crick, the main character, by the narrator. The narrator is describing his life...I wonder what people would have to say about us?
Chapter 2 (8 mins 45) to Chapter 3 (11 mins 30). Harold goes to audit a customer...as soon as they learn he is a tax man they start giving him a hard time, but he remains composed. You could also use this to demonstrate some peoples attitude towards tax men - this might be useful to give context to Bible passages where Jesus is criticised for mixing with tax men
Chapter 10 (37 mins) to Chapter 12 (46 mins). Harold turns up again to audit the same business. He is handed a box full of receipts that have been deliberately messed up - just make his life more difficult. After he spends the whole day there, Ana, the person being audited changes her attitude - she'd been baking for him. Perhaps this is a good example of how we might 'love our enemies'.
Chapter 20. In this scene Harold calls the author...and a strange thing happens, the phone rings when she types it....here is an obvious connection with fate