Dan In Real Life -- Carell, Binoche, Cook, Mahoney, Blunt -- 10/12/07
03-21-08, 01:29 PM
#52
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I was really surprised at how good this was. Charming cast. Steve Carell was great and even though it got a bit overly sentimental sometimes I thought the writing was top notch too.
I think the only thing I didn't really like were the daughters.
I think the only thing I didn't really like were the daughters.
03-21-08, 11:40 PM
#53
DVD Talk Hero
Originally Posted by BadlyDrawnBoy
I enjoyed this quite a bit, esp the bits with his kids.
If someone brought be home to there house for a holiday celebration and it involved charades etc, I'd have bolted so fast. No way..
Sure board games are fine, but mini performances or talent show things.
If someone brought be home to there house for a holiday celebration and it involved charades etc, I'd have bolted so fast. No way..
Sure board games are fine, but mini performances or talent show things.
I saw this the other night and really enjoyed it. Part of the reason I enjoyed it is because my family has talent shows, plays charades and does "family Olympics." We even put on our own 4th of July parade down the street one year. My wife thinks we are all insane, but I grew up with it so it seems normal to me. 
Anyway, really enjoyed the film. Carrell is always a treat to watch and is excellent at the "quiet suffering". And I'm not looking forward to when my 2-year-old daughter hits "dating age". I am going to be 10x worse than Dan
Last edited by Draven; 03-21-08 at 11:46 PM.
03-23-08, 06:56 PM
#54
DVD Talk Legend
Originally Posted by FunkDaddy J
The damn family in this movie really annoyed the shit out of me. A bad screenwriter's vision of a perfect family.
03-23-08, 07:19 PM
#56
DVD Talk Legend
Originally Posted by Brack
why the hate of a movie where the family ISN'T dysfunctional? it's almost unheard of in movies today, and I thought it was well done.
03-23-08, 07:31 PM
#58
DVD Talk Legend
Originally Posted by brizz
I didn't even know dane cook was in this, and said MOTHERFUCKER!!!!! out loud when he appeared - But by far the most annoying facet of the film was the picture perfect extended family having crossword competitions, playing football, a talent show, playing piano and singing together, etc etc. That family was the most egregious fantasy I've ever seen in a movie, and totally ruined everything else. I did enjoy Carel and Binoche, but all in all the incredibly overwrought family crap rendered this a low C.
Last edited by Daytripper; 03-23-08 at 07:36 PM.
03-23-08, 08:23 PM
#60
DVD Talk Legend
Originally Posted by Brack
um, wasn't his brother dating her? couldn't have been that hard to find her.
03-23-08, 09:13 PM
#61
The film cuts from them driving in the city to them at the gym. I'm sure things were known prior or he talked to someone that knew where she was. Is it really necessary that we see all those scenes? I don't think that constitutes as a plot hole, but whatever.
And how did his mom know to give Dan a sandwich bag? For the same reason Dan's dad was holding his jacket for him right before he left, they obviously knew. Again, not a plot hot.
And how did his mom know to give Dan a sandwich bag? For the same reason Dan's dad was holding his jacket for him right before he left, they obviously knew. Again, not a plot hot.
03-23-08, 09:14 PM
#62
DVD Talk Hero
Originally Posted by Daytripper
You're kidding, right? Did his brother tell him to find her at a gym? Which she just happened to be at. If I recall, the brother was off with Emily Blunt when Carell decided to go find her. Just another ridiculous plot hole. I doubt his brother gave him a list of places Binoche would be.
03-23-08, 09:18 PM
#63
DVD Talk Legend
Brack, you're stretching. It's been a few months since I saw this. But Dan literally ran from outside to go inside to grab his daughters. It was a last minute decision to go find Binoche. He made no announcements to anyone he was doing this. Did he have a conversation with mom and dad that we didn't see? It didn't look like it. Next scene, his mom was handing him the bag of sandwiches. I didn't even notice his dad handing him his coat. No, it's not necessary we see every scene. I'll settle for logical though. Or even realistic. No pun.
03-23-08, 09:19 PM
#64
DVD Talk Legend
Originally Posted by Draven
Cook was a trainer at the gym she went too. That's how they met. How hard would it be to find her?
03-23-08, 09:28 PM
#65
DVD Talk Legend
Originally Posted by Brack
why the hate of a movie where the family ISN'T dysfunctional? it's almost unheard of in movies today, and I thought it was well done.
As for finding Binoche in NY - it was obvious that she was "surprised" to see them. that was the whole point. I assume, however, he went there because it was his brother's gym - though how he knew she'd be there facing a window is more movie magic.
03-23-08, 10:09 PM
#67
DVD Talk Legend
Wasn't calling you a liar Brack. Just said I didn't notice it.
Look, I wanted to like this film. Had it been a little more grounded in reality, I probably would have. But I just wanted to strangle every member of his family.
Look, I wanted to like this film. Had it been a little more grounded in reality, I probably would have. But I just wanted to strangle every member of his family.
03-23-08, 10:21 PM
#69
DVD Talk Hero
Originally Posted by Daytripper
That I forgot about. But it was too coincidental. She just happened to be there.
If it was a completely random gym, I'd agree with you. But coincidences like this are common in pretty much every film ever made, so I don't think it's a great criticism.
03-24-08, 08:03 AM
#70
DVD Talk Legend
I'm holding out for the director's cut of the film on DVD. To be restored:
- Cocoa campfire jamboree
- Face painting
- Shadow puppet theater
- Dan's family listening in on his phone call from another phone
- Guy's night preparing dinner
- Heartfelt talk number #3 between Binoche and Dan's third daughter
- What really happened at the bowling alley before Dan's entire family showed up
- Alternate ending: Dan's car driving off a bridge. Binoche looking out the window of the gym with one tear coming down face
- Cocoa campfire jamboree
- Face painting
- Shadow puppet theater
- Dan's family listening in on his phone call from another phone
- Guy's night preparing dinner
- Heartfelt talk number #3 between Binoche and Dan's third daughter
- What really happened at the bowling alley before Dan's entire family showed up
- Alternate ending: Dan's car driving off a bridge. Binoche looking out the window of the gym with one tear coming down face
03-24-08, 09:54 PM
#72
DVD Talk Legend
I recall one of the critics from Time putting "Dan" on their year end 10 best list. If you can believe that. If you love the movie, come on now, one of the year's 10 best?? So I checked Time's website, and it was Richard Schickel. Who I rate way up their with Roger Ebert as one of the best. Want to know what WASN'T on Richard's 10 best list? "Into the Wild", "Ratatouille", "The Assassination of Jesse James", "Gone Baby Gone", "Zodiac". To name a few. Those movies rated lower than "Dan" in Richard's eyes. Wow! And I know, it's all subjective. But, again, we're talking about the best. Not your favorite.
03-24-08, 10:14 PM
#73
DVD Talk Hero
Some of us really enjoyed the movie. It was one of the better ones I've seen recently. You obviously don't agree.
What's so hard to understand?
What's so hard to understand?
03-24-08, 10:19 PM
#74
I'd probably put Dan in Real Life in my top ten from last year, or very close. It really surprised me and made me feel all warm and fuzzy. Call me a sappy person if you wish, I don't care.
03-24-08, 10:23 PM
#75
Glad to see all the positive comments on this one. I tried watching this on a recent plane trip but fell asleep. Picked up the blu-ray and will certainly have to find time to watch it soon.