Dan in Real Life (spoilers - wait 'til you've seen it)

[Hollywade]

I just saw this last night and I was surprised that there were no threads about it. I think it deserves one.

I loved this movie for several reasons. There are a lot of different things going on the film and a number of life issues are addressed. These include parenting, being a single parent, sibling rivalry, getting over a lost spouse, family, etc.

I thought it was brilliantly acted by almost everyone involved. Steve Carell was great. I think he is really starting to show his acting chops. Most people appreciate how brilliant he is in The Office. However, this was a completely different character for him, and he absolutely nailed it. Some of the best stuff was nonverbal. His facial expressions were killing me.

Dane Cook is making a comeback in my book. He got a little overexposed and I was sick of seeing him in 20 baseball commercials every single day. However, I liked him in "Good Luck Chuck" and he was quite good in this one as well.

I don't remember seeing Juliette Binoche in anything else, but she was captivating. It was definitely believable that Dan would fall so hard for her. She was magnetic and irresistible.

I liked most of the other characters as well. The woman who played Paul Giamatti's ex-wife in Sideways was good in a minor role as Dan's sister. She is beautiful, by the way.

The one character I didn't like was the brother-in-law. He added nothing to the movie and made a couple comments that seemed really out of place. I wondered if he was intending to make a joke or just an a-hole.

My biggest complaint is that the film seemed to end abruptly. The last 15 minutes felt like they were in a hurry to get it over with. I thought they could have spent another half hour or so bringing the story to a resolution. It was not running on or feeling like an overly long movie by any means. There was no need to bring it to a halt like that.

Other things I really enjoyed:

- "Let My Love Open the Door" - I absolutely love this song. Dan and Mitch performing it at the family talent show was a great scene. I wish they had incorporated the original Pete Townshend version later in the movie somewhere.

- the double-date scene at the bar - Anytime I see people dancing awkwardly or badly on screen, I love it. I can totally relate, because I pretty much suck at dancing.

- Lily's project - Lily giving her dad the poster she made is a very poignant moment. It's the first time we actually see Dan's deceased wife. I almost shed a tear there. I knew it was going to be something important when she told her dad twice that she wanted to give him something, and he blew her off.

- the piano duet - Mitch and the other brother ad-libbing the song about "Pig Face" was hilarious.

One thing that struck me is that the family did some weird stuff. They split into teams to race at solving a crossword puzzle. Then there was the group aerobic workout. Finally, they staged a talent show. Am I the only one whose family does nothing like any of this? Haha.

I was prepared to call this one of my favorite movies ever until the sprint to the finish left me a little unsatisfied. However, I still think it is very good. It is definitely one I will purchase and watch over and over.

I'm sure I will think of more later, but that's it for now. I highly recommend watching this one.

[Enrique]

I also liked this movie a lot. I like it when movies have a very optimistic feel around them. It is good that movies like this exist besides dramatic, serious movies.

There were some scenes that had me laughing very hard, but it was mainly interactions between Steve Carrell and Dane Cook.

I agree with you that Juliette Binoche seemed irresistible in this movie.

I also loved the song "Let my love open the Door", it even made tears appear in my face.

All in all, a very good movie to cheer oneself up. I put this movie in the same category as movies like "Little Miss Sunshine" and "Amelie", well done movies that cheer me up and make me laugh.

[andyfox]

Very nice movie. A bit of a throwback to the Doris Day/Rock Hudson type of movie, but nicely dont. I agree that Carell was wonderful. Well worth seeing.

See Chocolat for a wonderful performance by Binoche. She was also in The English Patient.