Dan in Real Life
Tags: bleak, romantic, psychedelic, realism

Plot synopsis:
Advice columnist Dan Burns (Steve Carell) is a widower with three daughters, whom he brings to his parents' vacation house for a family get-together. When Dan goes to a local bookstore, he meets Marie (Juliette Binoche). To catch her attention, Dan poses as a shop clerk, and convinces her to buy a random selection of books. When Marie finds out the truth, Dan proposes to make it up to her. The two share an intimate conversation and Dan starts falling for her. Marie, who gets a phone call and starts to leave. Dan asks for her number, but Marie refuses, saying that she has just started a new relationship, but then relents and gives Dan her number.On his way back to the house, Dan, an otherwise careful driver, is so engrossed in the memory of Marie that he runs a stop sign and gets a ticket. When he gets home, he finds out to his surprise that Marie is his brother Mitch's (Dane Cook) girlfriend, but not before he mentions that he met a girl. Dan tells Marie that they should not mention the bookstore incident to the family. The family starts liking Marie, while Dan gets envious and starts to behave strangely. Over the next few days, the two go back and forth in forbidden love and a few laughs.Dan's mother Nana (Dianne Wiest) announces the she ran into Ruthie Draper (Emily Blunt), an old acquaintance of Dan's, and that she has set up a date between Dan and Ruthie. Dan recalls that when they were kids, Ruthie's nickname was "Pigface" and refuses to go. Mitch proposes that they double with him and Marie, and Dan agrees. While Ruthie turns out to be very hot, Dan isn't too interested. However, on Marie's indication that Ruthie is not right for him, Dan feigns interest and starts dancing with Ruthie. Marie gets jealous and joins the floor with Mitch, leading to an upstaging contest between Dan and Marie.During a game of family football, Dan continues to flirt with Marie, and as a result, gets hit on the nose by the ball. His eldest daughter, Jane (Allison Pill) confronts him and tells that she has noticed his flirting and warns him to stop. Just then, Dan gets a phone call and finds out that some representatives from a syndicated publication will be coming to interview him for a position.The night before the interview, the family has a talent show, where Dan accompanies Mitch singing a love song to Marie. Mitch forgets many of the words, and Dan ends up finishing the song for him. In the morning, Marie, torn by the pressure of falling for Dan, dumps Mitch and leaves. She calls Dan, and he leaves to meet her, running the same stop sign and getting a second ticket from the same cop in the process. They meet up and decide to go bowling. In the meantime, the representatives have arrived and the family comes to look for Dan, only to find the two sharing a kiss.Dan explains, saying that Marie was the woman he met at the bookstore. Mitch hits Dan. Marie runs out and drives away. Dan tries to go chasing after her, but rams the same cop's car while backing out and loses his license. After this, Dan realizes he's been neglecting his family and kids. He admits to his family and potential employers that he's been violating his own advice and ignoring his family, and apologizes to his kids. He tries to apologize to Mitch, only to find out that Mitch is now going out with Ruthie. Dan's daughters realize that he is in love with Marie, and they encourage him to go find her. They then go to New York to find Marie, take the job, and live happily ever after.

Review: The most satisfying element about "Dan in Real Life" is that the relationship between Dan (Steve Carell) and Marie (Juliette Binoche) makes sense and is beautifully realistic.
Had this movie been made with Jessica Alba or Scarlett Johansson, it would have been a disaster.Another wonderful aspect about "Dan in Real Life" is that it is a perfect film for adults who are interested in a mature comedy that leaves out the three pillars of the "frat pack" formula: dumb chicks, chauvinistic guys, and sleazy jokes.
At a large family homecoming Dan meets his perfect woman, only to find out that she is in a relationship with his brother.What's a man to do?I rather liked "Dan In Real Life", but I would imagine the success or otherwise of this flick is going to be down to whether you are willing to accept Steve Carell playing a part relatively straight and restrained, rather than going through the broad comedy moves that have made him so successful.
If you cannot accept it, fear not, "Get Smart" will be along later in the year, but for the record I thought he was very good."Dan In Real Life" starts off like your typical, incidentally amusing, family drama, but it gets funnier and funnier as it goes along and Carell's frustration with his situation grows.
It's not massively original (but if you only saw movies with original ideas, cinematic pickings would be very scarce indeed, wouldn't they?), but "Dan In Real Life" is entertaining, and a good cast (who wouldn't fall in love at first sight with the luminous Juliette Binoche?) make the most of an insightful enough script that contains many a ponder on the meaning and passion of love.I hope that Steve Carell pushes himself and does something as interesting again..
The laughs aren't gags here--they're observations, laughs of recognition, little shocks of "Oh, my God, I thought I was the only one who felt that way!" I won't give away the plot, which is more than just "Guy falls in love with his brother's girlfriend." The whole family plays a part in the relationship here.
Carell gives Dan so much heart that he becomes the heart of the film itself at the same time.I wondered after seeing the film if I enjoyed the it as much as I did, despite its slight shortcomings (Juliette Binoche  I know you might like to lighten up every now and then but I don't recommend it unless there is chocolate involved), because of where I am in my life.
I'm not a Steve Carell fan however I like this movie about Dan, an advice columnist, who goes to his parents house for a stay with his kids and ends up falling in love with his brother's girlfriend.
The acting was great, Steve Carrol gives the character so much, the awkwardness that he brings to the person in some of the scenes are just great, you feel like it was happening to you, and it probably could, and we are all familiar with the situations which are seen in this movie.The movie also had some great Hilarious moments.
In my opinion was the movie excellent :D:) And I loved the last scene, where he finish it with the best quote, and a really helpful one, which I would try thinking of from time to time in my life, a very good advice.
I was drawn to DAN IN REAL LIFE from the excellent reviews and the thirst for a Dramedy that was well written-thank you Peter Hedges-and because when Steve Carell stars in the film, you know an audience is going to find like in LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE, a performance that is very entertaining and rewarding.
I ended up enjoying it quite a bit.Dan in Real Life is the story of a widower with 3 daughters who goes to spend a weekend with his family.
While at a bookstore, he meets the woman of his dreams, only to find out that she happens to be his brother's girlfriend.This movie is pretty well made- the soundtrack, cinematography, and acting are all top-notch, especially Steve Carell.
We never really get a close look at the relationship between Dane and Steve's characters, and I felt that it could have helped a bit in showing what Dan's inner conflict about being in love with Dane's girlfriend was like.
Other than this though, Dan in Real Life is definitely a solid, sweet film- definitely a nice break from all the horror and action movies we've been getting this year..
in fact, early in the movie, the initial spark of love begins with whimsical discussion in a classic Hollywood-style conversation where the characters say what they're thinking out loud.So I've probably rambled and repeated myself, but I highly recommend "Dan in Real Life".
But a quick blip on the radar with Evan Almighty made us wonder if he will be able to sustain a series of successes given what I think is a dearth of funny comedians to hit the big screen of late - output seemed to have slowed a bit from the likes of Mike Myers, Ben Stiller (The Heartbreak Kid was not exactly really funny), Will Farell and even Jim Carrey, with whom Carell will be collaborating with in an animated feature in next year's Dr Horton Hears a Who.I thought Dan in Real Life followed the Adam Sandler route with having to star in this year's equivalent of the latter's Spanglish, and does show that Carell the funnyman has some dramatic acting chops in him to commandeer this movie on his shoulders.
Like Sandler, he has this everyday man appeal without the need for any hint of exaggeration, and this chummy buddy persona that makes him quite likable.Steve Carell plays Dan the columnist who dispenses parenting advice in his newspaper column Dan in Real Life, where a routine day of the widower involves providing email counselling to his readers, and being the overprotective father to his three young daughters Jane, Cara and Lilly.
You might think that you've met that special someone, but the timing somehow just isn't right, and naturally things do not work out, even though you think that it might (who plans for a breakup from the start anyway?) Watching how smooth Dan is, his mark Ann Marie (Juliette Binoche, whom we last saw on screen opposite Jude Law in Breaking and Entering) spends an afternoon with Dan chatting (with the camera lingering at all angles imagined possible), and find that they click.
One of my favourite scenes involve a 4-way interaction at a diner that hit all the right notes, and another an insane and totally politically incorrect song involving pigs.It's ultimately a feel good movie, so don't expect proceedings to go in too heavy and deep, as it skirts around the subplots it creates decently, with little surprises, playing out just like one will almost expect it to be.
The widower family man Dan Burns (Steve Carell) writes the column "Dan in Real Life" giving advices for families in The New Jersey Standard and raises his three daughters alone.
Along the weekend, the attraction between the clumsy Dan and Marie increases and they have to take a decision."Dan in Real Life" is a great surprise and a delightful movie, with comedy, romance and drama.
Let me start by saying that I don't work for a film company, I am just a regular man who happened to see an early screening at the University of South Carolina last night.With a cast of Dane Cook and Steve Carell (2 of the funniest people in Hollywood) I truly expected a laugh-out-loud comedy.
When i first got this film i wasn't expecting much im not one for PG comedies not really one for PG movies period (i like to see life as life and i don't see it in a PG movie just me i guess) but this was actually a hilarious movie that didn't need swear words or make fun of people jokes this was a hilarious comedy that makes you laugh at family, love, and the awykward'ness of life i guess you can say.
Peter Hedges, who penned the screenplays for the admired indie films What's Eating Gilbert Grape and Pieces of April (and he directed the latter) as well as the successful adaptations of Nick Hornby's About a Boy and Jane Hamilton's A Map of the World, has now guided comic Steve Carell of Judd Apatow's The 40-Year-Old Virgin in a romantic comedy about two brothers vying for the same woman at a large family gathering--which will remind you of the one in The Family Stone, or Home for the Holidays, or for that matter Pieces of April, and a wide variety of American ensemble film comedies--all of which are better focused and more successful than this lame, often cringe-worthy attempt to merge Meet Cute with soppily sentimental treatments of death and sibling rivalry.
There have been many comments describing this family as akin to LLBean models and such, and I think that that is a great description of how they behaved.More absurdly unbelievable writing/acting occurs as we meet a character referred to in High School as "pigface" who, of course, has grown into a drop-dead gorgeous 20-year Harvard-educated plastic surgeon (but only to do good in the world-not for the money,) and she beds Steve Carrel on the first date.
It's drama, comedy, romance, with adults and supposedly real characters.Steve Carell stars as Dan, a widower, father of three daughters, newspaper writer, and as implied by widower - he's single.
I really liked Carell's performance as Dan, he is genuinely funny, and all-around a good character.The problem is Dan falls in love with Marie (Juliette Binoche).
His family is there to get him to do this never realizing that this will lead Dan to fall for the girlfriend (Juliette Binoche, who won a supporting actress Oscar some years back for "The English Patient.") of his brother.This is interesting movie fanfare made more enjoyable by the solid chemistry between Carell and Binoche..
Nobody is this verbally clever as "real life Dan." The romance between he and "Marie" (Juliette Binoche) also feels not right, and like the dad with his kids, tries too hard to look realistic.Whatever, people will really love or hate this film.
The soundtrack by Sondre Lerche (Norwegian), his perfectly framed song lyrics and guitar music are so catchy and aptly casual and rhythmic to the life force revival of central character: Steve Carell's Dan, a widower-single Dad with three daughters, trying to get over grief of his wife's passing 3 years hence, and whether he'd be able to 'love again.' The whole cast of the Burns family members, from mature adults down to young ones ages four to teens, is reminiscent of "The Family Stone" with a different heart's delight storyline by w-d Peter Hedges (Pieces of April 2003).
What a fun ensemble cast that includes natural thespians Dianne Wiest paired with John Mahoney as Nana and Poppy; Dane Cook (who can be seen as Mr. Smith in "Mr. Brooks" opposite Kevin Costner) as Mitch the brother with new lady friend Annie/Marie (Binoche); Dan's three daughters: Alison Pill as Jane (driving to the rescue), Brittany Robertson as Cara (standing by falling in love can be instant), Marlene Lawston as Lilly (the quiet, understanding and caring 8-year old) complement Carell's widower Dad/eldest son/brother admired.The Sondre Lerche's song lyrics are very much a part of the film.
And Carell singing: "Let My Love Open the Door." Repeatedly enjoy the soundtrack CD and it certainly enhanced appreciation of the film "Dan in Real Life".*2007 films that may not be for everyone (NFE): No Country For Old Men; There Will Be Blood; La vie en rose; Away From Her; Diving Bell and the Butterfly; The Kite Runner; A Mighty Heart; Before the Devil Knows You're Dead; The Savages; Eastern Promises; Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street; American Gangster; 3:10 to Yuma; I Am Legend; Grbavica: The land of my dreams; (documentaries:) Into Great Silence; Crazy Love; Zoo. Other worthwhile ones: Atonement; Into the Wild; Michael Clayton; The Brave One; The Kingdom; The Great Debaters; Breach; The Namesake; The Astronaut Farmer; The Lookout; Amazing Grace; Seraphim Falls; Juno; The Counterfeiters (Oscar's Best Foreign Film)..
A harmless romantic comedy that begins to fall apart the second you start actually thinking about what you've just seen.Steve Carell plays the single dad (the mom died of some unnamed illness) of three girls who intensely dislike him, who takes his daughters to a family reunion at his parents' idyllic cabin in Rhode Island.
I think we're meant to feel charmed and a bit heartbroken at seeing this man act like a petulant teenager, but I just wanted to tell him to get it together.The supporting cast is led by Dianne Wiest and John Mahoney as Dan's mom and dad, along with Dane Cook as his brother and Emily Blunt in a brief but memorable and sexy performance as a possible romantic alternative.
Dan in Real Life starts as very unbalanced and decidedly indie feel - but after the first 10 minutes this sorts itself out in a stunning way.I was prepared to see a fairly funny romantic comedy - which is our favourite genre - and ended up with a really good movie.We were bowled over by this: consistently very very funny, - just the right mix of blues and joy - and great performances from all involved.It takes a difficult subject - how being a widower impacts life - and a typical romcom one - guy loves girl who loves him but is in a relationship already - and mixes it all up in a great way.The fact that this is all centered on one family just increases the fun as we learn to get to know them all.Overall, funny, sweet, original, but also comforting - a really nice effort and one that deserves wide viewing.Loved it!.
I was so excited to rent Dan in Real Life, from the original movie trailer, this looked like it was going to be a great film, unfortunately, I never got to seeing it in the theater.
Steve Carrell does such a good job with his character with both humor and drama.This is a great family movie and you almost feel like a member of the family helping to solve this romantic problem.
Here's my overall ratings:Actors: 7 | Steve Carell and Juliette Binoche were both great performances, and were both real believable characters.
The movie is also very touching, the fact you actually believe Dan could be a real character makes you more attached to him in the film.
Also the movies ending is a bit too clichéd for my liking.Dan in Real Life is a surprisingly brilliant, if not perfect little comedy, that so far has impressed me most this year (although when you see the other movies I've seen so far that doesn't really compliment the film too much).
Playing a widowed "good father, but sometimes a bad dad" (compliments of his 11 year old daughter), Carrell helps you like him, feel his pain and love, and want things to turn out alright for him in the end.
But if you are the kind of person looking for a good laugh, this is the movie for you.So overall, I give "Dan in Real Life": 7/10..
Hollywood likes giving audiences contrived and unbelievable movie families; but they actually got it right with Dan in Real Life as these are the kinds of experiences I have with my family over long-weekends (and short ones).A surprisingly "mature" and dramatic Steve Carell ("The Office", Get Smart, The 40 Year Old Virgin) plays an advice columnist widower/father of three daughters who heads to Rhode Island for their yearly "long weekend" of meeting-up with family as they help shut-up/down the summer beach house for the season.
His parents, siblings and their spouses and all of his nieces and nephews partake of this "together-time" and it is the little family interactions that make the film endearing (pancake breakfasts, crossword challenges, football on the lawn).John Mahoney ("Frasier", Primal Fear, The Iron Giant) and Dianne Wiest (Edward Scissorhands, Bullets Over Broadway, Footloose) play the believable parents of the clan while Dane Cook (Mr. Brooks, Good Luck Chuck, Waiting ...) doesn't embarrass himself as Dan's youngest sibling who's current girlfriend (Juliette Binoche - Chocolat, The English Patient, Cache) catches his older brother's eye (to near-disastrous results).
Dan in Real Life, latest comedy from actor Steve Carell.
If I thought being an uncle was tough, I should be a single dad just like Dan to see what it's like raising a family all by myself."Dan In Real Life" is about a newspaper columnist (Dan played by Steve Carell) who writes advice on his columns but doesn't know how to follow them.
If you have ever been through gatherings with a loving extended family and can relate to the embarrassing situations and gaffs that may occur at such an event, you will be cracking up through the entire movie.The film will make you laugh at the actions of Dan(Steve Carrell), the awkward single father; dealing with the actions of his family, 3 daughters and Marie, the girlfriend of his brother (Dane Cook).
Steve's characters in previous films led me to believe that I would feel something for his character and enjoy the dialog but like other posters I felt uncomfortable and embarrassed for the cast.The dialog was so contrived, the family was this cookie cutter Walton's family and the film has been so many times before that I am shocked someone thought it was an original idea.Do yourself a favor and take a pass on this terrifyingly bad movie and don't believe everything you read on the IMDb since the first comments were clearly written by folks sitting in a different theater watching a GOOD film..
So if you want to watch a comedy like these, you will be failed.I don't blame Steve Carell for my expectation of a great comedy, because he has also played in movies that were not funny or that I have disliked before.