Carell steals the limelight in ‘Real Life’
By Nicki Crisci
Opinion Editor
I must admit that I’m not one for love stories because I think they are pretty ridiculous and unrealistic. However, “Dan in Real Life” was surprisingly not a love story that made me want to leave the theatre and throw up at the disgustingly cutsie storylines that usually ensue in love stories.
The movie actually did a good job of mixing comedy and drama with the performances of an excellent cast, including Steve Carell (“The Forty Year Old Virgin”), Juliette Binoche (“Bee Season”) and Dane Cook (“Good Luck Chuck”).
The plot is somewhat familiar. Dan (Steve Carell), a newspaper columnist who offers parenting advice, is a widower of four years and has three girls to raise on his own. As a single parent, he tries to control many aspects of their lives, from the eldest daughter Jane’s (Alison Pill) driving, to the middle daughter Cara’s (Brittany Robertson) boyfriend situation. He even naively tries to keep his youngest, Lilly (Marlene Lawson), a little girl forever.
Dan takes his children on their annual visit to his parents’ house and gets to take a little break from his kids when he goes to the town bookstore. There, he meets the perfect woman, Marie (Juliette Binoche), who gains his attention with an awkward explanation of a book she is looking for. They talk for a long time, mainly about his life, before she gets a call and has to leave. Afterward, Dan makes his way home and the plot finally progresses.
He tells some family members, including his middle brother Mitch (Dane Cook), that he has found an amazing woman. However, before Dan could go on, Mitch tells everyone his girlfriend has arrived, and, surprise surprise, it’s Marie. From that uncomfortable moment on, the rest of the story is about his longing for his brother’s girlfriend coupled with funny, awkward moments during which he tries to hide his love for her, and at the same time, gain her affection
This movie was speckled with awkward moments for Dan that made even some audience members groan out loud or turn their heads away from the screen in embarrassment for him, which made the movie even more enjoyable.
What didn’t work in this movie was its predictable moments. For instance, Dan’s love interest turning out to be his brother’s girlfriend was obvious when his brother mentions that his girlfriend is going to arrive. It was very reminiscent of the movie “Family Stone,” and it even ends the same way. Dan ends up with Marie, and his brother ends up with a girl he had dated. There were other times too, but they didn’t ruin the movie. They just brought it down a peg.
Steve Carell definitely steals the limelight with his performance, and he gets to stretch his dramatic muscles. He is comedic in the movie, but not in such an obvious, over-the-top way as he has in such movies as “The 40-Year Old Virgin.”
Dane Cook, as usual, is the funny guy of the movie, providing laughs even when he is supposed to be acting serious. One of the funniest scenes is one involving the supporting role of Norbert Leo Butz (“West of Here”), who plays the youngest brother, Clay Burns. Mitch and Howard sing an impromptu song about Dan’s potential date, who they remembered as having a pig nose.
The song includes such lyrics as “Ruthie pig-face Nelson…she has a house made of bricks, not of straw or sticks,” and the audience laughed out loud through the entire scene.
Overall, “Dan in Real Life” turned out to be quite an enjoyable romantic comedy. With an affordable student price of $8 at Kerasotes on Keystone, it was well worth the price.
Don’t wait to see the movie in the dollar theatres, or you will miss out on one of the funniest movies of the season.
