The Movie
Dan Burns (Carell) is a pitiable newspaper columnist specializing in giving family advice to his readers but in desperate need of some family advice himself. Struggling as any father of three adolescent/teenage daughters would, Dan is additionally still mourning the loss of his wife, even though it has been a few years since her death.
The movie catches Dan and his daughters as they embark to the New England coast for an annual family reunion, at the outset of which he meets a pleasant woman while running an errand in town. He relays his life story to her over coffee while learning almost nothing about her, although he does manage to get her phone number.
His rejuvenated mood is quickly ruined, however, when his brother Mitch (Dane Cook) introduces the same woman as his girlfriend, Anne (Juliette Binoche) (although it is revealed that her full name is Anne Marie and she actually prefers Marie, which is the name used for the remainder of the film). The story then unfolds from the natural tension caused by this love triangle, as Dan struggles to suppress his feelings for Marie but also yearns to find love (for a woman and for life) once again.
The story is common, but the movie is outstanding in its warmth and love. While the traditional romantic comedy love story is predictable enough, the ending is somewhat anticlimactic, and the characters don’t have a lot of depth, there is something about the familiarity of the characters that makes it impossible to avoid connecting with the story.
As I said, the characters are rather archetypal, but this isn’t a flaw in character development; rather it is supposed to be just so, as the members of Dan’s family are crafted to come across as the members of any family, and, even, as the members of your, the viewer’s, family. Even the character of Dan is succinctly summarized during an interview included in the special features as “sad and vulnerable, but hopeful”.
Instead of detailed character development, though, the film focuses on (in addition to appropriate doses of humorously absurd situations) the relationships between Dan and his family and that between Dan and Marie. The cleverness of the film lies in the realistic and relatable depictions of these relationships, as you see Dan and Marie interact secretly and awkwardly; Dan constantly struggling to relate to his three daughters, each of whom have markedly different personalities; and the members of Dan’s family discuss his problems openly with him and one another, each offering his/her own perspective and solutions.
The acting is what really helps the movie stand out in spite of common motifs, themes, and characters. Carell absolutely nails his role, making Dan sometimes pitiful, always relatable and, most importantly, sweet and lovable. His comedic performance is somewhat subdued, but when called upon, Carell still displays his characteristic sense of humor, adding further to the charm of his character.
The supporting cast also delivers well, with more notable actors/actresses like John Mahoney, Dianne Wiest, and Amy Ryan, along with several lesser-known actors/actresses, all adding appropriate facets to the family dynamic. Binoche aptly plays Marie as sweet and attractive but conflicted regarding her feelings for Carell’s character, although her performance isn’t as memorable as Carell’s. Alison Pill, Brittany Robertson, and Marlene Lawston all also offer solid performances as the three daughters, with their dynamic interaction as a family being a bit more compelling than any of their individual performances. Finally, I was impressed with Cook’s acting, glad to see that, much like Carell, he is also quickly expanding his repertoire and moving toward some more mature roles while maintaining his comedic style.
Lastly, the film has a tone that perfectly suits the story. The film is as warm and welcoming as a loving family, and the cinematography creates seamless transitions among the various moods of the film, moving fluidly from quiet and calm tones to joyous and funny tones and vice versa. The setting is also quite beautiful and very appropriate to the movie’s warmth, complete with a picturesque home and a lovely New England coastal town.
Special Features
The special features are not quite as endearing as the actual movie, although they do maintain the warmth of the film in many ways, and even reveal how that warmth was achieved. If you are particularly interested, commentary by writer/director Peter Hedges is also available for the entire film.
The deleted scenes (with optional commentary by writer/director Peter Hedges) add a little character development and a little humor to the film, but there is nothing outstanding here. Similarly, the outtakes are amusing, but you won’t bust a gut or split your side while watching.
‘Just Like Family: The Making of Dan in Real Life’ is interesting, but perhaps not quite enough to attract the average viewer. If you enjoyed the movie, though, you might like to hear a little about how the family dynamic was created. Much of this feature focuses on the bonding that occurred among the cast and on the collaboration between the director and the actors. It was intriguing to learn that all of the cast (except the always-busy Steve Carell) actually spent a week living together in the house before shooting began in order to better develop the family dynamic necessary for the film. Part of the feature also focuses on the picturesque house used for the film.
Finally there is the creative feature ‘Handmade Music: Creating the Score’, which focuses primarily on Sondre Lerche, who performed the entire soundtrack, and his work on the set. I was surprised to learn that a single artist wrote and performed the entire score and more surprised to learn that he was actually on the set for filming and played some tracks while filming occurred. There is nothing overly revelatory about this feature, but the creation of the music for this film is certainly an original story, especially since the soundtrack is so perfectly suited to the mood and the story of the movie.
Presentation
The DVD setup was a little disappointing overall, but there are a few aspects that stand out. The menus are a bit boring, and when there is moving video (only on the main and special features menus) it is barely noticeable. In addition, there is only one transition (between the main and special features menu). However, there is a coherent theme among all the menus, and the music, again, helps establish an appropriately relaxed and warm tone that fits the mood of the movie well. Finally, I was pleasantly surprised to stumble across an Easter egg, and, while the content of the feature isn’t spectacular, it’s always nice to see the effort made to include such a surprise.
Overall
For a romantic comedy, Dan in Real Life is extraordinarily endearing. It doesn’t have the most intricate plot or characters, but the story and characters that are there are relatable and likeable. Some might find the story a bit too archetypal, and I admit that the content of the movie is not noticeably original, but the tone and mood of the film are unique and special enough to forge an immediate connection with the audience. From beginning to end, Dan in Real Life is a welcoming movie that makes you feel warm inside.