If I thought being an uncle was tough, I should be a single dad just like Dan to see what it's like raising a family all by myself.
"Dan In Real Life" is about a newspaper columnist (Dan played by Steve Carell) who writes advice on his columns but doesn't know how to follow them. Dan Burns is a widower where he faces the responsibility of taking care of his three daughters who each want a sense of independence on their own. His eldest wants to drive after getting her permit but is denied; the middle child wants to experience the joys of falling in love, even though Dan's heart has died, he doesn't want his second child to be with somebody she met for three days; the youngest on the other hand loves her father but she wants him to understand that she has a mind of her own rather than listening to her two eldest sisters.
Dan's life starts to begin when he takes his daughters to a family reunion run by his parents where they met the relatives. Despite the fact that Dan's wife is dead, Dan is the joke to most of the family members where they daunt and tease him like bullies to a nerd; but it's just mere child's play since deep down they love him. It isn't when Dan decides to take a trip to a local book store where he meets a lovely woman named Marie played by Juliette Binoche and falls in love with her. The only problem is that when he gets home, Dan sees that Marie is going out with his brother Mitch (Dane Cook) and knows that things have just gotten worse. It'll just be a matter of time when the truth will come out.
Overall, I liked "Dan in Real Life". It reminded me of another dysfunctional family movie "The Family Stone" about a family trying to cope with odd situations and new characters in the family's life. Steve Carell's performance proves that the actor can play any role and yet manages to win us over. It's the type of film that can have second viewings in the future without being offended.
"Dan In Real Life" is about a newspaper columnist (Dan played by Steve Carell) who writes advice on his columns but doesn't know how to follow them. Dan Burns is a widower where he faces the responsibility of taking care of his three daughters who each want a sense of independence on their own. His eldest wants to drive after getting her permit but is denied; the middle child wants to experience the joys of falling in love, even though Dan's heart has died, he doesn't want his second child to be with somebody she met for three days; the youngest on the other hand loves her father but she wants him to understand that she has a mind of her own rather than listening to her two eldest sisters.
Dan's life starts to begin when he takes his daughters to a family reunion run by his parents where they met the relatives. Despite the fact that Dan's wife is dead, Dan is the joke to most of the family members where they daunt and tease him like bullies to a nerd; but it's just mere child's play since deep down they love him. It isn't when Dan decides to take a trip to a local book store where he meets a lovely woman named Marie played by Juliette Binoche and falls in love with her. The only problem is that when he gets home, Dan sees that Marie is going out with his brother Mitch (Dane Cook) and knows that things have just gotten worse. It'll just be a matter of time when the truth will come out.
Overall, I liked "Dan in Real Life". It reminded me of another dysfunctional family movie "The Family Stone" about a family trying to cope with odd situations and new characters in the family's life. Steve Carell's performance proves that the actor can play any role and yet manages to win us over. It's the type of film that can have second viewings in the future without being offended.