Dan In Real Life DVD Review

"Dan In Real Life" reviews

DVD

Dan In Real Life

Author

anonymous

Date reviewed

2008-06-06 16:50:18

Provider

MRIB

DVD Review

In a subtler comedic role for Steve Carell, he stars as an 'agony uncle' columnist, widowed and yearning for love. However his large overbearing family and three daughters might have something to say about his intended plans!

The Burns family weekend get together is charged with emotion. Dan (Carell) arrives with his three daughters. He always seems to flounder at trying to be the perfect father, brother and parent despite his successful column. Pushed out the house for some 'self-time' he meets Marie and returns home with a new found brilliance and belief in love. However, Marie turns out to be his wayward brother, Mitch's new girlfriend (and possibly 'the one'). as Dan and Marie collide around the house an finds it increasingly difficult to contain his feelings

Quality character comedy makes this a hit: Carell, like most clown actors, cuts his chops on a lead role where his understated performance propels pretty much all events. Dane Cook is the hip black sheep Mitch and the perfect foil for Carell's subjugated Dan. Emily Blunt is a highly effective femme fatale, John Mahoney (Frasier's Dad) and Woody Allen fave, Dianne Wiest bring their accomplished skills as Dan's parents and Oscar winner Juliette Binoche is the naturally romantic Marie.

Pierce Gardner's well-fashioned script provides these actors with something of a rarity in the air these days; a story with believable charm and wit. It's littered with an irresistible balance of one-liners and acceptable comedy scenarios while still having enough earthiness in it's characters' actions and emotional range to evade ever being fawning or sickly sweet.

This breaks out of the straight romantic comedy mould to have comedic touchstones, including Billy Wilder, Frank Capra and Woody Allen, for a modern audience. Extras include jolly outtakes, deleted scenes, a Making of plus an interesting study of the score by accomplished musician Sondre Lerche.

Copyright © MRIB 2008.