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The Review - AT THE MOVIES with WILLIAM HALL
Published: 10 January 2008

Steve Carell as Dan

What the advice expert didn’t know

DAN IN REAL LIFE
Directed by Peter Hedges
Certificate PG

IF you’ve seen a poster for this comedy-drama which shows Steve Carell (as Dan) with his head resting on a plate of pancakes you may well be wondering just what the film is all about. It doesn’t make sense to me either.
Dan Burns is an advice columnist whose own life is a shambles: recently widowed with three daughters to bring up – sensible Jane (Alison Pill), rebellious Cara (Brittany Roberts) and cute Lilly (Marlene Lawston).
During a week-long family gathering in the seaside Rhode Island cabin of his parents (John Mahoney, Dianne West) he bumps into enchanting French beauty Marie (Juliette Binoche) in a book store, and they spend the rest of the day talking over coffee and cakes.
It’s one of those instant boy-meets-girl, boy-falls-for-girl explosive romantic moments beloved of scriptwriters everywhere.
Except that there’s a very large fly in the ointment.
Back home, Dan finds the place agog with the impending arrival of his young brother Mitch’s (Dane Cook) new girl friend. Marie, of course.
Oh-oh. There’s going to be trouble at t’mill.
The smitten advice expert finds himself all at sea, and his fractious family doesn’t help as the week drags on.
He is relegated to sleeping in the laundry room, seething with a frustration made worse by his brother’s naïve trust in both of them.
Carell is a natural comic, as we saw in Little Miss Sunshine, with an ability to touch our heartstrings too.
His best scene is where he serenades the lovely Marie in front of the entire family without anyone else realising the words are aimed directly at her.
All in all, a pleasant enough, warm-hearted movie for a cold winter’s night.

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