This film is fantastic. Odd, and a bit confused about what it wants to be at times, but it's still great.
Steve Carell plays Dan, an awkward widower struggling to bring up his 3 daughters. One of whom is 13 and has a boyfriend (which he strongly disapproves of), one who is 17 and desperate to drive but he wont allow her because 'its not her, its the other people on the road', and his youngest who is about 7 or 8 who is by far the easiest to look after because she's still in the stage of being a daddy's girl.
Having torn his middle child away from her boyfriend to go on the annual trip to his parents where the whole family have congregated, and not allowing his eldest to drive, he leaves his daughters to cool down. After his mum has sent Dan away, he wanders into a bookshop where he meets Marie (Juliette Binoche), and, after pretending to be a store clerk so that he can talk to her he takes her for coffee and it's love at first sight. The meeting is short lived as she has to run to meet her boyfriend, so they agree to see each other again as friends. After an awkward exchange of goodbyes, elated Dan returns home, only to meet her again - and find out that her boyfriend is, in fact, his brother Mitch (Dane Cook).
This film wins mainly because of Carell's performance. He's fantastic as a person: clinging on too closely to the people he loves and as a total outsider from the rest of his family. This is showcased perfectly by the difference between between him and Mitch who he is competing with for the attentions of Marie. On top of this he has to deal with the fact that the rest of his family are totally unsure of how to treat him since the death of his wife. Juliette Binoche is great - she's endearing, and easily believable as the image Dan has of her as his "perfect woman".
There are so many awkward moments, which anyone who has ever had to endure a week with family will sympathise with. The laughs tend to come from these moments, but they aren't as cringe-worthy as you might expect. Its only failing is that everything fits together a bit too easily at the end, but I can forgive this film that.
With all the quirkiness of Little Miss Sunshine, this is one you shouldn't miss.
The trailer can be viewed here
http://www.apple.com/trailers/touchstone/daninreallife/
Dan In Real Life is on general release in cinemas now.
