Dan In Real Life

Before I go further, let me announce my biases. I am attracted to Steve Carell, and I immensely enjoy watching him in The Office (I'd love to watch him out of the office, too.). I've been a fan of his since his work in The 40-Year-Old Virgin, and I have followed most of his releases since then. The one I haven't seen is Get Smart. So many people have commented so poorly on the film, I've had no interest in seeing it, but I will definitely get around to it, and I will definitely make a post here.

All of that being said, my review of Dan in Real Life is that it is a must-see film. So much more than just a romantic comedy, Dan in Real Life plays out the excruciating story of unrequited love, happenstance, and family relations. The story line is a common one, but the characters play their roles so beautifully that it is difficult not to feel their emotions. Dan is a widow with three intelligent girls: one older and wise, one young and in love, the other just shedding her childhood innocence. Dan puts all of his energy into being a good father and in providing for his girls as a writer for an advice column. Then, one day, life catches up to him, and somewhere between being a man and being a father, serendipity draws him to an anonymous woman who turns out to be his brother's girlfriend.

At the end of the film, Dan in Real Life leaves viewers with a void, a longing for love and a desire to stay with the characters with whom they've developed a relationship. It is a testament to the film's screenwriters, the director, and film editing staff.

Dan in Real Life seems like such a simple film, yet it calls out for big emotion. As of the writing of this review, you can find Dan in Real Life on Netflix on demand and at Blockbuster. Happy viewing!