Dan in Real Life

Review by Loc

It’s scary to realize you’re getting older. A movie like Dan in Real Life is firmly planted in the adult comedy genre. The issues, the problems, the drama, the humor, basically anything and everything in this film is a slice of life for the mature adult. Not to say you won’t enjoy it if your daily concerns revolve around celebrity gossip or the latest news on Fallout Boy. However, things may resonate a little more if you’re staring down the barrel of career path and daycare for the kids. Quick hit: pretty good flick.

Dan in Real Life focuses on Steve Carell’s character of Dan Burns, a local advice column writer in the New England area. Strangely enough, there’s about five whole minutes devoted to the column-writing skills of Burns. Instead, the film locks in on the “real life” portion, examining how the mundane difficulties of life can creep up to wreak havoc. For the two second recap: Dan Burns is a widower with three daughters, ranging from the student-driver-high-schooler to the hormone-possessed-lovestruck-teen to the sweet-and-smart-grade-schooler. The family heads off for the annual mini-reunion where all the siblings gather around to partake in the most picturesque family sharing one could possibly imagine. Gender-war crossword puzzle battles – check. Full-family outdoor workout sessions – double check. Family-talent-show-after-dinner gaming – but of course. Yes, this is the most perfect family ever, and their annual traditions are amazing.

So, how does the chaos ensue? First, Dan has been having a more difficult time with his daughters. One wants to drive and drive and drive, providing a small, sometimes humorous problem for our Dan. The second is convinced that she’s found true love at the tender age of 14, which causes bigger, sometimes funnier moments for Dan. The last daughter is young and precious, offering no real problems until the dramatic climax where Dan must face the fact that he’s ignored her one too many times. Boo hoo.

However, the real meat of this story lies in Dan’s blossoming romance with Juliet Binoche’s Marie. After a rough drive to the family household, Dan takes a break from the family to the local bookstore. There, he meets the lovely Binoche and both spend a picturesque morning together in the picturesque New England setting. But, what happens when Dan finds out that the lovely Marie is actually his brother’s new girlfriend?? Oh, let the hijinks begin.

Too bad the hijinks are pretty low-key. There are the awkward let’s-keep-it-to-ourselves moments. And there are the Dan-goes-on-a-date-and-Marie-gets-jealous exchanges. The hiding-in-the-shower scene is entertaining and the pancake breakfast is good for a chuckle. Yet, overall, the comedy aims for a mundane, nuanced humor which is good, but not great. Of course, things get worse and everything blows up in everyone’s faces, but that comes at the conclusion of the film and wraps up in around ten minutes.

If placed in the hands of less talented, engaging actors, Dan in Real Life would have fallen very flat. However, Steve Carell is quite genuine as he steps out of the man-child, borderline mentally-challenged persona he’s developed so well. Carell adds a bit of underlying humanity to his role, nothing so breathtaking that it’s amazing, but enough to get you caring about his plight. Binoche is quite charming and the chemistry between the two is adequate. Keep in mind that these two don’t deliver smoldering, tense-filled exchanges, but seeing them together is nice enough.

Rounding out the cast, you get Dane Cook as the brother. He’s fine and his limited screen time is probably a good thing. Diane Weist is the passive-aggressive matriarch and John Mahoney of Frasier fame is the dad. The rest of the huge family is very good as well, and they’re able to recreate the feeling of family in a genuine way.

Overall, Dan in Real Life is solid fare. The writing and plot are pretty good, and the leads are talented enough to pick up the slack. As mentioned before, a weaker cast would have led to disaster, but this collection of performers delivers a good film. Out of a 200 word advice column, Dan in Real Life meets the deadline with a 150 word count. It’s a good film and better if you find yourself facing similar life issues.