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A Slice of Life
by Francine Brokaw
Dan in Real Life
Dan (Steve Carell) is a single father of three daughters. The foursome joins the rest of his family at the family’s estate in Rhode Island for their annual long weekend. Although his wife has been dead for four years, Dan has not been involved with any other women. So, when he meets Marie (Juliette Binoche), a beautiful woman, at the bookstore and feels an instant attraction, this is a good sign. For his profession, Dan is a family advice columnist, so he has a lot of suggestions and advice for his readers, but he soon finds himself in a situation where he cannot figure out what to do. When he returns to the estate he discovers that Marie is his brother Mitch’s (Dane Cook) girlfriend. This awkward situation is uncomfortable for both Marie and Dan, but neither of them quite knows what to do. Yes, they felt an instant chemistry between them that morning and afternoon, but is that worth jeopardizing the family ties?
Marie soon becomes a family favorite. She fits in beautifully with the gang, and even Dan’s daughters love her. She’s been around the world and done a lot of things, which is impressive. But as the weekend goes by, Dan and Marie cannot deny they still feel an attraction to each other.
There are plenty of humorous situations in this film, and not only between the family (who think Dan is losing his mind by the way he is acting), but with Dan himself. Carell is hilarious as the man who is falling in love with the woman he can’t have. But is Marie really meant for Mitch? Her jealousy is revealed when his parents set Dan up on a blind date, and Mitch decides to take Marie along to make it a double date.
Okay, so this is not an unpredictable plot, but the actors are cute and Carell makes it worthwhile.
© 2007 Francine Brokaw
Photos ©Touchstone Pictures. All Rights Reserved.
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