Movies

Steve Carrell (The 40-Year-Old Virgin, TV's The Office), Hollywood's leading funnyman, stars in the hilarious comedy that's bursting with charm -- a movie you'll watch again and again. Advice columnist Dan Burns (Carrell) is an expert on relationships, but somehow struggles to succeed as a brother, a son and a single parent to three precocious daughters. Things get even more complicated when Dan finds out that the woman he falls in love with is actually his brother's new girlfriend. Dan is joined by a brilliant all-star supporting case, including Juliette Binoche, Dane Cooke, John Mahoney and Dianne West, for a heartfelt, fun-filled comedy that's "laugh-out-loud funny" - Steve Oldfield, Fox.

Dan Burns writes a widely-celebrated newspaper column about relationships, but since his wife died he has trouble relating to his three daughters. While away for a family reunion, Dan meets an amazing woman and later finds out that she is his brother's new girlfriend and they have to spend the next few days together. There is more awkwardness than hilarity that ensues, but I still liked Dan in Real Life.

I normally consider Steve Carrell to be over-the-top and too one-dimensional as a performer, but I was impressed this time around. He was genuine in his awkwardness, and more calm than many of his other roles. It was nice to see him tone it down a little.

There was only one scene that really had me belt out a laugh (my thanks to Mr. Carrell for inciting the laugh entirely on his own). The rest of the movie was less of a comedy for me and more a simple and subtle film about the importance of our interpersonal relationships, with a primary focus on family. Dan in Real Life isn't a timeless classic, but it is worth seeing once, if never again.

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