Dvd
Dan in Real Life
Starring Steve Carell, Juliette Binoche, Dane Cook, Dianne Wiest, John Mahoney, Emily Blunt
Directed by Peter Hedges ('Pieces of April')
Written by Pierce Gardner, Peter Hedges
Romantic Comedy, Drama | 1hr 38mins | Rated (PG) | contains sexual references | Origin: USA | Official Site »
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Flicks review
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3
This Steve Carell vehicle charms with some wholesome middle-aged humour and natural acting but stumbles due to odd chemistry between the two leads.
Widower Dan (Steve Carell) takes his three daughters on 'vacation' with his extended family. Here he falls rapidly in love with Marie (Juliette Binoche), only to later find out she is his brother’s new girlfriend. Darn it!
This is a large family that likes to play charades and put on variety shows for each other whenever they can. How sweet, we say through gritted teeth. But a strength of the film is how these actors relate to each other as if they were a real family. Less appealing is the icky sentiment drizzled over the film like fermented caramel. If happy endings and 'cute' families aren't your thing, then you'd be advised to steer clear.
He's a very shouty man, our Steven. That heavy brow and piercing stare have been put to good use in characters that like to 'lose it' a lot. There’s a constant defensive sarcasm that seeps out of his flesh even when he's standing still. There’s never really anything endearing, exciting or fresh about his comic performances, and his shtick can grow stale very quickly.
Bearing that in mind, Carell can do decent work when he puts on his 'serious' hat. And his role as a single parent in Dan In Real Life is his best to date. There's something about Dan’s struggle to bring up three daughters after the death of his wife that is brought to life perfectly in Carell’s hands. He plays the character almost with a permanent 'sigh', without ever looking pathetic, and it’s hard to imagine anyone else playing the part.
Dan’s love interest, Marie (Binoche), doesn’t fare so well. She feels out of place and irritatingly smug, possibly due to her odd French/American accent. It's here that the film struggles to convince. Not once did I buy that Marie was falling in love with the downtrodden Dan. Not once.
So despite the naturalistic acting from the extended family, the quaint holiday house location, and the inoffensive humour, Dan In Real Life is let down by a central conceit that is not believable. What does the glamorous Marie see in the rather desperate (albeit sweet) Dan? I have no idea, and would welcome suggestions.
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The people's reviews
4 reviews
Press Reviews
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Empire [UK]
A small but sweetly formed comedy of romantic misfortune that can?t quite keep Hollywood at bay.
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New York Times
Dan in Real Life is neither wildly farcical nor mockingly cruel, but rather, for the most part, winningly gentle and observant.
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New Zealand Herald [Francesca Rudkin]
3
Binoche brings a touch of class and maturity to the film, even if she does occasionally look surprised to be there, but it's the whole ensemble, including veterans such as Wiest and Mahoney, who, with Carell, make this an enjoyable and amusing watch.
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Premiere
A smart, sweet, and thoroughly disarming ensemble comedy that isn't afraid to wear its humanism on its sleeve.
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Rolling Stone
Carell shows a whole new side to his talents.
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TV 3 [Kate Rodger]
This low-key little indy manages to slowly charm you into submission with its pared back and oftentimes hilarious dissection of family life and relationships.
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Variety [USA]
Deftly interlaces heart and humor in a witty, warm and well-observed comedy about the unexpected and inconvenient blooming of romance at the weekend gathering of an extended family.
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