Dan in Real Life (2007)

Memorable, crazy movie

Although it has its amusing moments, in eneral the plot does not convince.

The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.

By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

There's nothing I don't love about this movie, in fact it's fast become one of my favourites and one that I like to watch regularly. Put simply, it makes me happy.The feel of the whole movie is utterly charming. It's simple, it's real, with so many subtle nuances that you notice more things every time you watch it. It's funny, touching, uplifting, awkward, excruciating at times - everything real life is.It's also inspirational in a lot of ways, it paints a picture of a family weekend that's so warm and welcoming and comforting, who wouldn't want that? The characters are all very well cast in my opinion, I ADORE Steve Carell as Dan, he nails it! And Juliette Binoche is gorgeous as Marie. The acting is wonderful throughout, it's easy to immerse yourself in the story, the setting, their lives and just let yourself enjoy your weekend with Dan and his family as he navigates the torture of his situation.

Dan in Real Life (2007): Dir: Peter Hedges / Cast: Steve Carell, Juliette Binoche, Dane Cook, Emily Blunt, Alison Pill: Comedy about dealings with obstacles. Dan is a widowed father who is invited to his parents for the weekend. A chance encounter with a woman in a bookstore ends up being his brother's girlfriend. Directed by Peter Hedges with predictable circumstances where feelings aren't voiced. Steve Carell plays off the desperation and loneliness of Dan. He doesn't anticipate this weekend outing but this new romance sparks life into his otherwise routine existence. Juliette Binoche struggles with her feelings especially when learning that this charming new stranger is her boyfriend's brother. This cannot end well but viewers will likely understand since Dane Cook as the brother is a complete moron. He is all about everything that families aren't. Do families really play hide and seek, and do stupid group exercises in the yard, or sing foolish love songs? No wonder Binoche chose Carell. Then there is an appearance by Emily Blunt who is hooked up with Carell but ends up in another place by conclusion. Frankly, she seems like the bargain. The cast is a half and half in terms of who has a believable role and who plays a total jackass. Theme regards companionship but in reality most families are more like Dan than the spawn he came from. Score: 6 ½ / 10

Steve Carell's Jack Lemmon-esque everyman quality has never been utilized to greater advantage than in the 2007 comedy Dan in Real Life, a warm family comedy that provides smiles, giggles, roll on the floor laughter, and a possible lump in the throat.Carell is just wonderful as Dan Burns, a widower with three daughters who, shortly after arriving at his parents' mountain cabin for a family reunion/weekend, is enchanted by a woman (Juliette Binoche) he talks to for ten minutes in a bookstore. Dan is on cloud nine until he learns the woman is dating his brother, Mitch (Dane Cook).Director and co-writer Peter Hedges establishes the kind of guy Dan is from the opening scene where we see him still sleeping on his side of the bed and taking excellent care of his girls. Sympathy is immediately evoked for Dan as he fights his attraction to the woman, but can't. The story takes an odd turn when Dan's parents arrange a blind date for him and Mitch's girlfriend is clearly jealous.Hedges' direction is spirited and Carell is backed by a wonderful supporting cast led by John Mahoney and Dianne Wiest as Dan's parents...two very classy people whose love for their son keeps them from coming right out and letting him know when he's screwing up. Dane Cook, who I usually can't stand, is almost likable as Mitch. Leo Norbert Butz has some funny moments as Dan's other brother, as does Emily Blunt as Dan's blind date. Also loved Brittany Robertson as Dan's middle daughter, Cara.The film's primary faux pas is the casting of Oscar winner Juliette Binoche as the object of Dan's affections. Light comedy is just not Binoche's long suit and her performance is just as annoying as her character becomes when she sees Dan with another woman. Not to mention the fact that the on screen chemistry between Carell and Binoche was nonexistent.Lovely cinematography and a lilting song score by Sondre Lerche help, but it is the casting of Binoche that keeps this film from being the very special film that it almost is.

This is one of those films that you see in your que or at the video store that you put on the back burner and try later. Next time you see it, grab it, it'll be so worth your time.I just love everything about this film. It's one that is just got so much heart it just permeates the entire film. Steve Carell is a widower who barely gets by writing his daily column..Dan in Real Life. In the process of doing this he has to raise 3 girls on his own....and according to them he's not doing a very good job. You can tell they love him to tears but they sure give him a hard time. He's a soft touch.Next comes a family get together and in walks in his brothers new girlfriend and he's just floored. They have an obvious connection but they decide to keep it quiet and try to make it through the family get together. The rest of the way through it's the awkwardness of him trying to keep his sanity. He's just gaga over this girl.The amount of funny scenes in this film is just too many to relate. The ones that left me laughing the most were "the book store" scene. In walks his brothers girlfriend and he sees her for the first. She thinks he works there and she asks for advice on a certain book. He proceeds to roam around the book store and just randomly pull books off the shelf and tell her way each book is what she needs. After this scene is over you'll laugh completely. This is one of the scenes in a film that sticks with you. So well written and the perfect 2 cast members to pull it off.Not far behind is the the mother and father decide to set up their son with a girl from his old school when he was a kid. Problem is the girl, Ruthie Pigface Draper, wasn't too attractive back then. The whole family decides to needle him before the date...by song. His brothers and family sing a painfully funny tune on piano about Ruthie Pigface Draper. Just so funny. Dane Cook makes this scene a gem.This little gem of a film has so many of those funny/awkward scenes it makes me feel bad for other films that try so hard to be funny, in all the wrong ways. It doesn't hurt that Steve Carell can pull off any role and make it work.At the end you'll have a little tear in your eye but just remember to smile. You just watched a great little film.