Dan in Real Life - Steve Carrell possible SPOILERS

[Captain Craig]

I love The Office and thought Little Miss Sunshine was great. His performance in 40 Year Old Virgin had me splitting my side from laughter it was so great. I get picky about movies I pay theater money for and thought this would suffice as a renter. Now I feel I wasted a NetFlix selection but thats alright.

This movie is about a dysfunctional advice columnist(Dan Burns) who lost his wife 4 years ago. He has 3 daughters, age 17,15 and 8 and they don't get along just right since mom died. He has had no luck finding love and now the four of them are heading off to a Rhode Island beach house for a week long extended family vacation.

The movie is quite tolerable for the first 15-20 minutes before the movie settles into the beach house family vacation. Watching this movie made me resent white people...and I'm white. It is the whitiest whitebread movie about successful, well off happy New Englanders.

Dan runs into a beautiful woman(Marie played by Juliette Binoche) at a bookstore who is shopping for books. The two hit it off and share a long lunch. Sparks fly and the attraction is obvious. Unknown to Dan or her is they are going to end up at the same place all week. She is the new girlfriend to Dans younger brother Mitch, played by Dane Cook.

The family is worried Dan isn't trying to refind love so when he returns tells them of this great woman he met but that she is in a relationship so it wouldn't work. Mitch of course gives him the great advice, "Hey if she doesn't have a ring shes fair game". Que Marie's entrance into the beach house for moment of awkward silence.

Since Dan want tell them of mystery lady, his parents have set him up with an old family acquaintance. Ruthie, played by Emily Blunt, used to be a somewhat unattractive girl but when she shows up we find she is a doctor, well a plastic surgeon and herself looking hot. Dan only goes out when Mitch agrees to accompany them in the old double date tradition.

The problem isn't the akward romance of the movie. Its the sheer amount of "white people fun" that make the Waltons look diverse. The house breaks into two teams, men&women and they play competitive crossword. The family, adults included later play hide & seek in the big beach house. The next day they play touch football out in the yard. They take group strolls on the beach. The last night they all participate in a sketch play where every member has a skit to act out.

Now of course all through this are moments that build the tension and romance that shouldn't occur between Dan and Marie because Marie is Mitch's new boyfriend.

Never mind Marie isn't that into Mitch if shes allowing Dan, a then stranger, to romance her at a bookstore. Dan should take that as a warning perhaps.

Well the movie ends with the standard cliche of Dan and Marie together and no hard feelings with Mitch as he has taken up with Ruthie. We see all of them as a "later" event at Dan&Maries wedding.

The straight laced, proper, family togetherness is amped up to such ridiculous proportions its like watching a farce. I gave it 2 of 5 stars in my Netflix queue only because there truly is worse out there.

Anyone else seen this? I know it didn't light the box office on fire and I don't recall discussion of it here.

 

[TrekkieGirl]

No, I haven't, though I'm thinking about renting it...Frankly my favorite Carrell is Daily Show Carrell...The American Office is solid and I love his character, but it'll always pale before Gervais and the original...
I liked his character in Little Miss Sunshine, though the film itself seemed to be dreck for pretentious emo artkids who think it's clever or witty (what Juno is now).

 

[Joy]

I actually really liked the "family togetherness" because it reminded me a LOT of my huge family before we moved away from California. Made me miss the "good ol' days".

I thought it was a great movie, and Steve Carrell is unstoppable. He's a great actor, and I always look forward to every project he does.

Joy

 

[Bob The Skutter]

All in all I didn't mind it, but it was a bit too American. I'm not sure how else to put it.

 

[Scout101]

It wasn't bad. Certainly not a comedy, and Dan's life was honestly a bit depressing, but overall a 'cute' movie, i guess...

 

[Gary Mitchell]

Oh my gosh. Happy people in New England that are white and actually like spending time with their family. That's terrible.

I actually liked this movie and it made me wish that I had a bigger family.

 

[Bad Bishop]

The movie is quite tolerable for the first 15-20 minutes before the movie settles into the beach house family vacation. Watching this movie made me resent white people...and I'm white. It is the whitiest whitebread movie about successful, well off happy New Englanders....
<snip>
...The problem isn't the awkward romance of the movie. Its the sheer amount of "white people fun" that make the Waltons look diverse. The house breaks into two teams, men & women and they play competitive crossword. The family, adults included later play hide & seek in the big beach house. The next day they play touch football out in the yard. They take group strolls on the beach. The last night they all participate in a sketch play where every member has a skit to act out.

Dan In Real Life should be praised for being warm and funny. Steve Carell should be praised for his performance as Dan Burns, a loving father, widower and advice columnist who is caught completely off-balance when love enters his life again.

I don't know what you expected of an extended family of white people in New England. Were they supposed to curse at one another, smoke pot and watch MTV instead of hanging out together? There were a lot of children at the family gathering, so there were a lot of kid-friendly activities. Why is that such a problem? Like many American liberals, maybe you view “family values” as odd or aberrant instead of normal and ideal.

The film actually has two characters whose presence should have assuaged your white guilt. One of Dan’s siblings (I don’t remember whether it was his brother Clay or his sister Amy) has an adopted daughter who is Asian. Remember her? And, of course, Dan’s daughter Cara has fallen in love with a Latino boy. Didn’t the film score any race points with you this way?

Oh, look! People of color in the film! It’s not so offensive after all!

The straight laced, proper, family togetherness is amped up to such ridiculous proportions its like watching a farce. I gave it 2 of 5 stars in my Netflix queue only because there truly is worse out there.

You should be ashamed for giving such a low rating to Dan In Real Life. But I’ve got another film for you. Go rent The Family Stone (2005) starring Diane Keaton, Craig T. Nelson, Rachel McAdams and Sarah Jessica Parker. You’ll love it because it’s the complete antithesis of Dan In Real Life. The Family Stone presents another well-to-do, white, New England family, together for the holidays. You’d like them because they’re not hopelessly “normal” like Dan Burns’ family. For starters, the Stones are quite open about things like their past drug-taking and nudity around the house. They’re not even slightly weirded out by their gay son who brings over his boyfriend, who is African-American. On the other hand, they have a huge problem with their other son’s girlfriend because she’s a conservative with more traditional family values.

By the way, the mother curses at the table during Christmas dinner. You’ll probably want to give the film 5 stars at Netflix.

Anyone else seen this? I know it didn't light the box office on fire and I don't recall discussion of it here.

Dan In Real Life made over $47 million, which isn’t bad for a romantic comedy. I wish I’d made the time to see it in the theater. Thanks to this film, I’m sort of rediscovering Juliette Binoche, and I’ve added a couple of her movies to my queue.

 

[Harvey]

I saw it in the theatre. Disliked it. It didn't help that the print I saw had a boom microphone in at least twenty shots--and not for a minute or two. It was in shots for a long time. As a sound guy, that's a little upsetting to me.

Secondly, the epilogue was just tacked on. Totally inappropriate for the film.

As for the Family Stone somehow being the antithesis of Dan in Real Life, I don't see it. Both were bland romantic comedies with predictable characters and outcomes that were foreseeable within thirty seconds.

 

[Scout101]

There was also some amusement on my part because it's set in Jamestown, RI (he drives over the bridge between North Kingstown and Jamestown in one scene at the beginning), and I can see the island out of my window at work at this very moment. Well, it's kinda foggy and overcast right now, but I can see the SHAPE of the island, at least

 

[Captain Craig]

Steve Carell should be praised for his performance as Dan Burns, a loving father, widower and advice columnist who is caught completely off-balance when love enters his life again.

His performance was good. His interaction with his girls was fatherly. As the star of the movie at least the movie wasn't stolen by another. He did his job admirably.

I don't know what you expected of an extended family of white people in New England. Were they supposed to curse at one another, smoke pot and watch MTV instead of hanging out together? There were a lot of children at the family gathering, so there were a lot of kid-friendly activities. Why is that such a problem? Like many American liberals, maybe you view “family values” as odd or aberrant instead of normal and ideal.

The New England families I've known from college or relationships since aren't remotely close to the Burns. Now they don't fit your extreme example but the scenario here, with exception to the middle "in love" child of Dan, are all practically perfect. I'm far from liberal but thanks for guessing its just that watching Hollywood do "family values" it looked like a farce or caricture of how a family that large interacts and the varying personalities it would have. I graduted with a guy who had 6 siblings and with exception to 2 of them were all different. The Burns outing was like watching one homogenous person acted out by a dozen people.

The film actually has two characters whose presence should have assuaged your white guilt. One of Dan’s siblings (I don’t remember whether it was his brother Clay or his sister Amy) has an adopted daughter who is Asian. Remember her? And, of course, Dan’s daughter Cara has fallen in love with a Latino boy. Didn’t the film score any race points with you this way?

I have ZERO white guilt but thanks again for guessing. Asian girl who says nothing gets zero points. Latino boy had about 8 lines. Its not that the film needed to score minority points with me. Its that I felt the movie is a farce and a caricture of how Hollywood sees big family life.

The straight laced, proper, family togetherness is amped up to such ridiculous proportions its like watching a farce. I gave it 2 of 5 stars in my Netflix queue only because there truly is worse out there.

You should be ashamed for giving such a low rating to Dan In Real Life. But I’ve got another film for you. Go rent The Family Stone (2005) starring Diane Keaton, Craig T. Nelson, Rachel McAdams and Sarah Jessica Parker. You’ll love it because it’s the complete antithesis of Dan In Real Life. The Family Stone presents another well-to-do, white, New England family, together for the holidays. You’d like them because they’re not hopelessly “normal” like Dan Burns’ family. For starters, the Stones are quite open about things like their past drug-taking and nudity around the house. They’re not even slightly weirded out by their gay son who brings over his boyfriend, who is African-American. On the other hand, they have a huge problem with their other son’s girlfriend because she’s a conservative with more traditional family values.

By the way, the mother curses at the table during Christmas dinner. You’ll probably want to give the film 5 stars at Netflix.

I'll add it to my queue. However I feel fine with my rating for Dan. Its not that I think Stone will be accurate of family life but I bet it'll at least be funny. I have a hunch of how Stone will play out and what might make it a more enjoyable movie based on your comments and my recall of it.

Anyone else seen this? I know it didn't light the box office on fire and I don't recall discussion of it here.

Dan In Real Life made over $47 million, which isn’t bad for a romantic comedy. I wish I’d made the time to see it in the theater. Thanks to this film, I’m sort of rediscovering Juliette Binoche, and I’ve added a couple of her movies to my queue.

Not knowing its production budget we won't know but at best it broke even domestically. I'll have to IMDB Juliette and see is there is anything of hers that my interest me.

 

[TGTheodore]

I enjoyed it a great deal, and gave it three out of four. A little uneven in places, but overall a pretty sweet film (in the traditional meaning of the word "sweet").

I even liked Dane Cook in this one (and I absolutely can't STAND him otherwise. He's about as "funny" as Adam Sandler.)

--Ted

 

[The Nth Doctor]

Oh my gosh. Happy people in New England that are white and actually like spending time with their family. That's terrible.

I know, what a horrible tragedy!

Seriously, I'm quite surprised about some of the reasons for disliking the movie in this thread. I can understand "too cutesy" or "too lovey-dovey," but "too family together" or "too white" or (god forbid) "too American?" I simply don't get it.

Anyways, I loved Dan in Real Life because...well...because it felt real. And of course Steve Carrell was fantastic as always as were the supporting cast, particularly Dianne Weist and John Mahoney as the family matriarch and patriarch, respectively.

 

[Bob The Skutter]

Oh my gosh. Happy people in New England that are white and actually like spending time with their family. That's terrible.

I know, what a horrible tragedy!

Seriously, I'm quite surprised about some of the reasons for disliking the movie in this thread. I can understand "too cutesy" or "too lovey-dovey," but "too family together" or "too white" or (god forbid) "too American?" I simply don't get it.

Anyways, I loved Dan in Real Life because...well...because it felt real. And of course Steve Carrell was fantastic as always as were the supporting cast, particularly Dianne Weist and John Mahoney as the family matriarch and patriarch, respectively.

To be fair, I didn't say I hated it, or even that it was bad. I liked it, but it was very predictable, and yes, too American. I don't mean that as an insult, I just can't think of a different way to put it.

 

[Captain Craig]

It was too idyllic perhaps. It felt like a period piece...just in the wrong period. Had it been set in 1927 or 1947 instead of 2007 then the "too American-ness" of it, the "too togetherness" of it would have felt more real.

 

[Bob The Skutter]

It was too idyllic perhaps. It felt like a period piece...just in the wrong period. Had it been set in 1927 or 1947 instead of 2007 then the "too American-ness" of it, the "too togetherness" of it would have felt more real.

Perhaps that's what it is. Because the only times I can ever think of seeing something where families act that way, is in American shows and movies, so perhaps that's why I'm thinking of it as 'American-ness".

 

[doubleohfive]

I enjoyed this film very much.

 

[bigdaddy]

I thought it was fine, the way it was filmed I enjoyed, it was different.

And I REALLY hate his brother. I forgot about his name, but he's an ass whenever I see him.

And I LOVE Juliette Binoche.

 

[Bad Bishop]

The film actually has two characters whose presence should have assuaged your white guilt. One of Dan’s siblings (I don’t remember whether it was his brother Clay or his sister Amy) has an adopted daughter who is Asian. Remember her? And, of course, Dan’s daughter Cara has fallen in love with a Latino boy. Didn’t the film score any race points with you this way?

I have ZERO white guilt but thanks again for guessing. Asian girl who says nothing gets zero points. Latino boy had about 8 lines. Its not that the film needed to score minority points with me. Its that I felt the movie is a farce and a caricture of how Hollywood sees big family life.

So now it’s the "Hollywoodized" depiction of family life that annoys you? That is not what you said in your initial post. Do I have to quote you directly again? You said, "Watching this movie made me resent white people...and I'm white. It is the whitiest whitebread movie about successful, well off happy New Englanders."

I have to wonder whether you were just as annoyed or put off by some of the white people in Blood Diamond. That film offers up large servings of white corruption and brutality. In Dan In Real Life, the whites that you find so offensive are merely successful, stable, warm-hearted and family-oriented folks. How awful.

However I feel fine with my rating for Dan. Its not that I think Stone will be accurate of family life but I bet it'll at least be funny. I have a hunch of how Stone will play out and what might make it a more enjoyable movie based on your comments and my recall of it.

I still don’t understand why you’re giving Dan In Real Life any less than 4 stars. For cryin’ out loud, in one scene they all exercised to the song "September" by Earth, Wind & Fire (a black group, in case you didn't know). Be reasonable--that should have been worth one more star to any self-conscious liberal with white guilt and good taste in pop music.

Later in the film, Dan goes on a double date with Mitch, Marie and Ruthie. They go to a bar and soon Dan proves that he can’t dance. Now there’s a negative white stereotype if I ever saw one. C'mon--isn't that worth another star in your book? You resent white people, and the bar scene was unflattering to white people. What more do you need?

 

[Temis the Vorta]

I found it underwhelming. It was a nice little comedy, I guess.

The problem isn't the akward romance of the movie.

Yes it is. It's clumsy and formulaic.

Its the sheer amount of "white people fun" that make the Waltons look diverse.

I was so bored with it, I didn't notice the white people. If they'd all been black, it would have been just as bad.

The real problem, in addition to the clumsy script, is that Juliette Binoche has no comedic talent.

 

[Emher]

I'm mainly intrested in this movie since it's Steve Carrell playing an actual balanced normal person for once!