DVD : Dan In Real Life [2007]

Rating: - If you were at a low ebb..
This would push you over the edge! I have come to expect great comedy from this chap, but this was rubbish. Nothing else to say. Avoid.

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Rating: - Love is not a feeling - it's an ability
I wanted to see this, mainly because I quite like Steve Carell. Not sure what to expect, I rented it rather than buy.

It is, quite simply, one of these easy-to-watch movies. No violence, nothing to worry younger viewers, just a great storyline with some great characters. The three kids are brilliant, in particular Lilly (Marlene Lawston).

Carell takes a break from form in his portrayal of the widower Dan Burns. He is funny without being silly. The family around him, whilst generally in the background, are a fine ensemble to complement the main actors.

The set - the family retreat in Rhode Island - is beautiful. It comes across as being very homely and welcoming.

There are some especially standout moments. For me these were the "pigface" song (which turns out to be a misnomer), and Dan's car problem at the end.

I would have hoped for some extras on the DVD, but then "life is full of disappointments"

If you are a sucker for sentimentality, then you should watch this movie.

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Rating: - Very surprising. In life you can only prepare to be surprised....
What a great surprise this film turned out to be. I don't know of anyone who had seen it and it wasn't greatly advertiesed when on release at the cinema. I bought it purely because of Steve Carell and then was slightly disappointed when it came and was only rated PG. I thought, it can't be that funny if it's only a PG, there won't be any adult humour. How wrong I was. For me, this made the film better - a kind of Little Miss Sunshine minus the swearing. Carell is brilliant in this serious role and still brings a barrel of laughs with his awkardness and dance skills. Cook is awesome with his singing and just has the ability to make you laugh whenever he is on screen.

I would say this film isn't for you if you enjoy your comedy with a lot of slap stick and insults. This is not your typical Anchorman or 40 Year Old Virgin kind of film. The humour is more subtle.

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Rating: - Life is never what it cracks up to be
Didn't plan to see this, but I've discovered a long time ago that movies are more enjoyable when you have no idea what it is about-in other words, unexpected surprises. Well, Dan in Real Life is one of those unexpected surprises. It was thoroughly charming and often funny, not as in laugh out loud funny but more of feel-good funny. Sometimes, comedies like this are the ones that get me more than the laugh out loud comedies (ex. Superbad). Its warmth totally won me over, like a puffy winter jacket. You don't want to wear it cause it looks ugly outside but later on, it wins you over cause it's warm inside. The movie is like that.

The man on my left is Steve Carell, who I've despised for being himself, no not really, but he does seem to play same character in all of his movies. `Dan in Real Life' follows a depressed, lonely, widowed father of three girls, Dan Burns (Steve Carell), heading to Rhode Island to see his happy family. His three daughters aren't too happy about the trip, and aren't too happy at his stomping on anything that might resemble a relationship. Upon arriving there, he meets a woman in a bookstore and the two hit it off almost instantly. What Dan doesn't know is that the mystery woman, Marie (Juliette Binoche) is the new girlfriend of Dan's brother Mitch (Dane Cook). Now Dan must be under the same roof as his new crush for a couple of days and hide his obvious adoration for her before the family finds out and the situation gets any worse. Does not help that Marie becomes the hit of the household as she perfectly blends in to the mannerisms of the folks in the family.

What appeals this movie to the average viewers is simply the brutal irony of the situation, and the terrible case of awkwardness that follows, its one of the more original dramas in terms of conflict to be released in some time. I am surprised to say he won me over in this film. His portrayal as an awkward, over-protecting widower was a spot on. I liked how calm and soft spoken he was in this film. I also thought his emotional scenes worked out very fine as well, because Carell made Dan a relatable and caring character even when it seemed he's a jerk in this film.

Aside from that, this is the definite definition of "Feel good" comedy. I liked Dan in Real Life for Real.

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Rating: - unusual and fabulous for it
This is such an off the wall film I'm surprised I enjoyed it so much. I guess it's sort of like Indie music- you either like it or you don't.
Maybe the story isn't very plausible as suggested but it's the underlying meaning and family dynamics that are the main focus of the story and both are portrayed with success.

I found myself laughing and cringing at Dan's antics several times and yet was still moved to tears on a couple of occasions. There were some very sweet scenes where you see him battling with his feelings not only of love found but also love lost.
A truely beautiful movie that is clearly misunderstood and under-rated.