Dan In Real Life - 2007

I saw this one at Christmastime 2007 and it's a pleasant mix of drama and comedy that I really loved. I was pleasantly surprised to really like this film. It's GREAT.


Dan Burns (Steve Carell) is a newspaper advice columnist, a widower, and a controlling father to his children Jane, Cara and Lilly in the New Jersey suburbs. His column is in contention to be syndicated nationally. The family takes a trip to the Rhode Island home of his parents (Dianne Wiest and John Mahoney) to visit his family—including his New York City-based brother, Mitch (Dane Cook), a personal trainer—for an annual family get together. Cara does not want to go, as she does not want to leave her boyfriend Marty (Felipe Dieppa) whom she claims to have fallen in love with in just three days. But Dan insists that it is not possible to fall in love in three days and makes her go. The morning after his arrival, Dan's mother encourages him to go into town for a bit to give his daughters some space. Dan visits a bookstore and a customer named Marie (Juliette Binoche) mistakes him for an employee. Dan and Marie have an obvious connection and continue to talk over breakfast. Marie agrees to meet with Dan again before leaving but tells Dan that she has a boyfriend. Dan returns to his parents' house and happily announces he has met someone new, only to find that Marie is there, her boyfriend being Dan's brother, Mitch.


Time magazine's Richard Schickel named the film one of the Top 10 Movies of 2007, ranking it at #10, calling it a “sweet, yet tangy dessert” and Steve Carell’s performance “wonderful”.


Norwegian singer-songwriter Sondre Lerche composed the majority of the music in the film, and has a cameo appearance in a scene at the end.
Full soundtrack listing:


1."Family Theme Waltz" - Sondre Lerche
2."To Be Surprised" - Sondre Lerche
3."I'll Be OK" - Sondre Lerche
4."Dan and Marie Picking Hum" - Sondre Lerche
5."My Hands Are Shaking" - Sondre Lerche
6."Dan in Real Life" - Sondre Lerche
7."Hell No" - Sondre Lerche and Regina Spektor
8."Family Theme" - Sondre Lerche
9."Fever" - A Fine Frenzy
10."Airport Taxi Reception" - Sondre Lerche and The Faces Down Quartet
11."Dan and Marie Melody" - Sondre Lerche
12."Human Hands" - Sondre Lerche and The Faces Down Quartet
13."I'll Be OK" (Instrumental Reprise) - Sondre Lerche
14."Let My Love Open The Door" - Pete Townshend
15."Dan and Marie Finale Theme" - Sondre Lerche
16."Modern Nature" - Sondre Lerche and Lillian Samdal
17."Ruthie Pigface Draper" (bonus track) - Dane Cook and Norbert Leo Butz, taken from a scene in the movie