By Kevin Koeninger

Is this a tragedy or comedy? This is the question which drives “Stranger Than Fiction’s” plot. Ultimately, however, it is the question to which the producers of the film could not find an answer.

“Stranger Than Fiction” is a movie composed of a novel concept (pun intended), brilliant acting, and a star-studded cast. Nevertheless, as it progresses, it becomes unclear as to whether it is intended to be funny or serious.

While this seems like a rather ignorant question to ask, the fact that it has been marketed as a comedy transforms many of the film’s more somber moments into farce.

The film is not a comedy in any sense of the word. While it certainly contains snippets of clever, humorous writing, Will Ferrell’s reputation is the only comedic device found in the movie.

With that said, his transformation from the 30-year-old frat boy in “Old School” to 35-year-old IRS agent is executed rather well.

His performance elicits a great deal of sympathy and compensates for the ambivalent plot structure.

The movie itself consists of Harold Crick’s day-to-day routine after he begins to hear a “narrator” illustrating his life’s events.

Following a revelation, Crick must discover whether he is a character in a tragedy or comedy.

Dustin Hoffman shines as Jules Hilbert, a local English professor who is sought out by Crick in order to unravel the rapidly developing mystery that is his life. The two strike up a friendship and ultimately discover the woman is “narrating” Harold’s existence.

At some points it becomes near impossible to distinguish whether the audience should be laughing or crying. Clearly, it serves the movie to leave the ultimate moment of recognition of comedy or tragedy until the conclusion.

In the end, phenomenal acting by the movie’s most important characters saves what would otherwise have been a thoroughly lackluster cinematic experience.

Will Ferrell displays a clear talent for breaking from his typecast role as a buffoon, and Dustin Hoffman bolsters his already stellar reputation as an incredibly versatile actor.

If the film was marketed more as a drama and less as a comedy, its success might be phenomenal; as it stands, expect to see a great deal of movie goers shaking their heads in confusion as they leave the theater.