Steve Carrell stars in a predictable, but worthwhile comedy
By James Baggett
Steve Carrell stars as Dan Burns in "Dan in Real Life," a smaller-budget, quirky romantic comedy for all ages.
Dan writes a column that guides his readers with prudent advice on family and relationships and all that these entail. Meanwhile, he is still mourning the death of his wife four years prior. He has been left alone to raise his three teen daughters, who bicker about boys and driving. With archetypal irony, Dan's own chaotic family life does not reflect the sensible counseling offered in his column.
En route to his parents' annual family gathering in Rhode Island, Dan meets the charming and refined Marie (Juliette Binoche) in a bookstore. Thinking he is a clerk at the store, she approaches him and the pair delves into easy conversation, laughing regularly. The chemistry between the two is unmistakable and Dan can't suppress his giddiness from his family.
But his love-stricken excitement quickly turns to uncomfortable awkwardness when Dan's magnetizing brother, Mitch (Dane Cook), arrives at their parents' house with his new girlfriend - that intellectual beauty from the bookstore, Marie.
Predictably, chaotic and confusing situations ensue throughout the movie, which takes place over the extended weekend gathering. The unassuming and easygoing Mitch is oblivious to the tension between Marie and Dan, who unsuccessfully attempt to restrain their passions and stay away from each other.
In one scene, Dan and Marie end up in the shower together - and Dan's daughter happens to be in the room. It is in these brilliantly awkward scenes that Carrell thrives. As in "Little Miss Sunshine" and his TV show "The Office," Carrell shines in his role as a socially clumsy yet surprisingly intellectual character. He has the ability to make the audience wince and then laugh at the painfully awkward circumstances that are magnified by his theatrical skills.
Standup comedian Cook was cast well as Dan's rival - the more handsome brother who is too unassuming to realize the connection between Dan and Marie. The cast is completed by the oddball parents, played by John Mahoney and Dianne Wiest, who augment the depth of the humor with comical, yet often insightful one-liners.
Much of the movie resembles a TV sitcom, with scenes of typical family activities like yard sports and charades, and the usual teen rants from Dan's daughters. Yet the embarrassing situations, plus themes of familial strength, joy, and love make "Dan in Real Life" worth a trip to the theater.
The movie opens tomorrow in wide release.
