Dan in Real Life (2007)

User Rating:

7.0/10   

Director:

Peter Hedges

Writers (WGA):

Pierce Gardner (written by) and
Peter Hedges (written by)

Release Date:

26 October 2007 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

Tagline:

Something's happening to Dan. It's confusing. It's awkward. It's family.

Plot:

A widower finds out the woman he fell in love with is his brother's girlfriend.

Plot Keywords:

Bookstore | Love | Widower | Rhode Island | Shore

Awards:

3 nominations

Cast

Steve Carell	...	Dan Burns
Juliette Binoche	...	Marie
Dane Cook	...	Mitch Burns
Alison Pill	...	Jane Burns
Brittany Robertson	...	Cara Burns
Marlene Lawston	...	Lilly Burns
Dianne Wiest	...	Nana
John Mahoney	...	Poppy
Norbert Leo Butz	...	Clay
Amy Ryan	...	Eileen
Jessica Hecht	...	Amy
Frank Wood	...	Howard
Henry Miller	...	Will
Ella Miller	...	Rachel
Cameron 'C.J.' Adams	...	Elliott

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for some innuendo.

Runtime:

98 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

SDDS | DTS | Dolby Digital

Certification:

Taiwan:GP | Singapore:PG | Ireland:PG | Malaysia:U | Australia:PG | Philippines:PG-13 (MTRCB) | Hong Kong:IIA | South Korea:12 | USA:PG-13 (certificate #43598) | Germany:o.Al. | Sweden:Btl | Portugal:M/12 | Netherlands:6 | Finland:K-7 | Argentina:Atp | UK:PG | Mexico:A | Brazil:Livre

Filming Locations:

New Jersey, USA

Company:

Touchstone Pictures

Trivia:

The name of the central family in this film is Burns, just as in Peter Hedges previous directorial effort Pieces of April (2003).

Goofs:

Continuity: When Dan is searching for a knife to cut the pie, the first time we see it, the pie is tall. When the camera cuts back to the pie, it is shorter.

Quotes:

Policeman: This is going to cost you
[writes a traffic ticket]
Dan Burns: Put it on my tab.
Policeman: What was that?
Dan Burns: [Aside] Put it on my tab.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Gossip Girl: Chuck in Real Life (#2.7)" (2008)

Soundtrack:

Fever

A One-of-A-Kind Movie Experience

I was lucky enough to see this at a pre-screening last night (Oct. 20) and I was incredibly surprised by the wonderful plot and genuinely heart felt acting.

While the plot is not particularly complicated or exceptionally new, the story unfolds in a way that feels fresh, unique, and distinctly "indy" in style. It isn't something that can easily be compared to films of the past, it's a unique take on a sort of classic middle-aged depressed love story.

I was particularly struck by the casting of the film. Down to every last extra in the family, it was a beautiful and talented cast. The three daughters did a wonderful job, the talent was evenly dispersed between them and none of them "out-shone" the other two.

It was truly a delightful film, appropriate for all ages and laugh out loud funny while also being truly touching and heart warming. It was a wonderful break from the sex jokes and nudity of recent films.