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MOVIES / ON DVD / DAN IN REAL LIFE
Dan in Real Life

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Dan in Real Life (2007)

65%
92%
79%
N/A
N/A
N/A
65 %
Reviews Counted: 155 Fresh: 101  Rotten:54 Average Rating: 6.3/10
 
Consensus: The fine performances elevate Dan in Real Life beyond its sentimental plot.
 

How does the Tomatometer work?

The Tomatometer measures the percentage of positive reviews from Approved Tomatometer Critics for a certain movie.[-]

Rated: PG

Runtime: 1 hr 39 mins

Theatrical Release: 11-01-2008

Synopsis: Just as LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE did in 2006, DAN IN REAL LIFE reveals that Steve Carell is an actor who can do more than just comedy. He's won both accolades and awards as bumbling boss Michael Scott on THE OFFICE, but there's a greater depth to this performance as a single father and man in love.... Just as LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE did in 2006, DAN IN REAL LIFE reveals that Steve Carell is an actor who can do more than just comedy. He's won both accolades and awards as bumbling boss Michael Scott on THE OFFICE, but there's a greater depth to this performance as a single father and man in love. Advice columnist Dan Burns (Carell) has his hands full with three daughters that he's not willing to let grow up. The girls still grieve for their mother who died four years ago, and Dan hasn't made any attempts to date. So he's pleasantly surprised when he meets Marie (Juliette Binoche) at a bookstore when he goes to his parents' Rhode Island home for the annual family reunion. But his joy is short-lived when he discovers that she is dating his brother (Dane Cook), forcing Dan to hide his feelings and chemistry with Marie. Carell adeptly balances his role's humor and heartache, while Binoche (CHOCOLAT) is radiant as ever. Comedian Cook (GOOD LUCK CHUCK) shows surprising talent as the third leg of their love triangle. Through his duties as director and co-screenwriter, Peter Hedges deserves much of the credit for creating a film that is sweet without being sappy. Even though he's working with a far bigger budget than he did for his directorial debut, PIECES OF APRIL, he still maintains the feelings of intimacy and honesty that made that film such a critical favorite. What could have been a standard romantic comedy of errors turns into a strong film that goes deeper than many of its peers in the genre. DAN IN REAL LIFE also succeeds thanks to its soundtrack from Norwegian indie pop musician Sondre Lerche. The singer's compositions, both originals and favorites from his career, perfectly suit the film's tone and moods. [More]

Genre: Comedies

Starring: Steve Carell, Juliette Binoche, Dane Cook, John Mahoney, Emily Blunt

Director: Peter Hedges
Screenwriter: Pierce Gardner, Peter Hedges
Producer: Jon Shestack, Brad Epstein
Composer: Sondre Lerche

DVD Info

Release:

Nov 3, 2008

[DVD Details]

DVD Features:

  • Region 1
  • Keep Case
  • Anamorphic Widescreen - 1.85

Audio:

  • Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround - English, French, Spanish
  • Subtitles - French, Spanish - Optional

Additional Release Material:

  • Audio Commentary - Peter Hedges - Writer/Director
  • Clips & Highlights - HANDMADE MUSIC: Creating The Score
  • Deleted Scenes - Deleted Scenes with Commentary by Writer/Director Peter Hedges
  • Outtakes
  • Making Of - JUST LIKE FAMILY: THE MAKING OF DAN IN REAL LIFE

Reviews

 
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1 - 20 (sorted by date; UK critics are listed first)
Text View | 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 >> >|
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Ratings Image
8/10

It's hard for a film like this not to come off as too sweet, but this grown up comedy manages in making it a real gem.

Full Review | comment Comment
01/22/08
Simon Thompson
Heart 106.2
Ratings Image
2/5

It's amiable enough, but the ickiness levels are too high and Juliette Binoche always looks uncomfortable in this shallow-end material.

Full Review | comment Comment
01/11/08
Peter Bradshaw
Guardian [UK]
Top Critic Icon Top Critic
Ratings Image
3/5

Drips with sentimentality.

Full Review | comment Comment
01/11/08
Sun Online
Ratings Image
2/5

About as riotous as gassing yourself during a wet weekend in Worksop.

Full Review | comment Comment
01/11/08
David Edwards
Daily Mirror [UK]
Ratings Image
4/5

An off-centre rom-com with unlikely stars, this indie drama is neither too funny nor too romantic in its balance of laughs and tenderness. The perfect date movie for middle-aged romantics (and we mean that as a compliment).

Full Review | comment Comment
01/11/08
Jamie Russell
Channel 4 Film
Top Critic Icon Top Critic
Ratings Image
4/5

It's the unlikely chemistry between Binoche and Carell coupled with Carell's impeccable comic timing (watch out for the shower scene) that keeps you glued to the screen.

Full Review | comment Comment
01/11/08
Catherine Chambers
BBC
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Ratings Image
4/5

Touching, tender and laugh-out-loud funny, this little rom-com will melt your heart then rebuild it afresh. It’s so warm and inviting, you’ll want to spend a week in its company. But you only get 99 minutes. Treasure them.

Full Review | comment Comment
01/11/08
Jamie Russell
Total Film
Top Critic Icon Top Critic
Ratings Image
3/6

Smoothly entertaining fare, but with a bit more nerve it could have been so much more.

Full Review | comment Comment
01/11/08
Trevor Johnston
Time Out
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Ratings Image
4/5

As the author of ‘What’s Eating Gilbert Grape?’, writer-director Hedges knows how to tell a story about kith and kin without smothering it in goo.

Full Review | comment Comment
01/11/08
Elliott Noble
Sky Movies
Ratings Image
3/5

A small but sweetly formed comedy of romantic misfortune that can’t quite keep Hollywood at bay.

Full Review | comment Comment
01/11/08
Ian Nathan
Empire Magazine
Top Critic Icon Top Critic
Ratings Image
4/5

Enjoyable, emotionally engaging and frequently hilarious comedy drama with a superb script and terrific performances from its ensemble cast.

Full Review | comment Comment
01/10/08
Matthew Turner
ViewLondon
Ratings Image
3.5/5

Knowingly examines romance, parenthood, grief and betrayal, but succumbs slightly to simplistic sentimentality.

Full Review | comment Comment
11/22/07
Rich Cline
Shadows on the Wall
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review | comment Comment
11/03/07
Screen International
Ratings Image
3.5/5

Carell seems to be at his best when he is put in awkward situations and is forced to make a fool out of himself, and there are plenty of those moments in Dan in Real Life.

Full Review | comment Comment
07/23/08
Adam Tobias
Watertown Daily Times
Ratings Image
2/5

Alas, [Hedges'] forays behind the camera with Pieces of April and now Dan in Real Life indicate he's got Sundance intentions but a Hallmark Channel soul.

Full Review | comment Comment
05/01/08
Alonso Duralde
MSNBC
Ratings Image
69/100

Writer/ director Peter Hedges likes to touch on deeper emotional truths, but he doesn't have the courage to really probe his characters' struggles in a meaningful way.

Full Review | comment Comment
03/26/08
Brian Webster
Apollo Guide
Ratings Image
N/A

Because it touches on the universal themes of loss and love so honestly, it is a film that feels authentic even in its many contrivances.

Full Review | comment Comment
03/26/08
Ryan Cracknell
Movie Views
Ratings Image
2/4

...ultimately succumbs to an egregious emphasis on inauthentic elements...

Full Review | comment Comment
03/19/08
David Nusair
Reel Film Reviews
Ratings Image
2.5/4

didn't really get it

Full Review | comment Comment
03/11/08
Stefan Birgir Stefansson
sbs.is
Ratings Image
7/10

I wound up enjoying most of what I saw, despite its familiarity and predictability. The film's got a good heart.

Full Review | comment 1 Comment
03/07/08
John J. Puccio
DVDTown.com
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