Dan in Real Life

One would think that I was writing about another Disney Movie here. Dan in Real Life is about a dad who is a widower raising three girls on his own. I know - it fits perfectly with the Disney formula.

Steve Carell stars in this 2007 movie, along with Juliette Binoche, Dane Cook who's not wearing healies in this movie, Dianne Wiest (of Footloose and The Lost Boys), Jessica Hecht, whom I recognized from Friends as Ross' ex-wife's lesbian girlfriend, and John Mahoney, the dad from Frasier.

Steve Carrell's character, Dan Burns, is an advise columnist and he is joining his family for a week at the camp or summer house. Dan has been overwhelmed in life and needs a break. After having a trist with his middle teenage daughter, his mother sends him out to get a newspaper in the morning to get away for awhile.

Dan stops in a little shop on the water that sells various sundries including books. There he meets a woman named Marie and they have a quick and funny conversation. He really likes her so he invites her to breakfast. Finally she has to leave, but sadly informs him that she is in a relationship, but she really liked him and loved the conversation.

When Dan gets back to the house, he announces that he met a wonderful woman at the bookstore and thinks he's in love. Then his brother (Dane Cook) introduces him to his new girlfriend, the same lady from the bookstore. For the rest of the movie they struggle with their inner desires for each other, but with the restraint they know they must keep. As the movie progresses, Dan becomes more irritable, distracted, and less loving of his daughters. He is basically becoming unravelled.

Anyone who has ever loved someone, but cannot have her will be absolutely drawn to this movie. It's funny. It's sad. It's depressing. You know what he's going through. You'd think I was a 28 year old woman writing this blog, but I've been there and I know you've been there, too.

I like this movie a lot, so I am giving it 4 stars. I would rate it on Netflix, but it appears that after their website was down all day yesterday, they no longer allow users to rate movies. This should certainly help no one find movies they like. Hopefully Netflix will raise their prices since they are offering less helpful service.