I Was Expecting a Little More, Dan In Real Life

             For this post, I’d like to take a look at the movie “Dan in real Life.” I am a huge Steve Carell fan, since I watch “The office.” In fact, I’d call him my favorite actor. The first time I watched this I had only seen a few of his other roles. This movie wasn’t necessarily bad, but it wasn’t his best that I have come to expect from a Steve Carell movie.

                The plot has to do with the main character, Dan, who goes to a family reunion. At home he has three daughters, two of whom are about junior high age, and one who is in fourth grade. The older two both want something from their Dad. The more irresponsible one want approval for a relationship, and the responsible one wants to learn to drive. While Dan goes to a bookstore, he meets a woman, and attempts to hit on her. He finds out at the woman’s home, over coffee and muffins, that she is in fact engaged, but low and behold: the woman that his brother brings over to the family reunion is one and the same. Over all, I thought the plot was average. It didn’t have any brilliant twists, and it didn’t have any overtly corny plot points.

                The theme is put into words when the boy who wants to date Dan’s daughter says “Love isn’t a feeling it’s an ability.” This theme is actually well placed, and shown throughout the film well; with Dan’s daughter’s relationship, and with his own relationship with his brother’s fiancé.

                The acting in this movie is okay. I felt a little that the role limited Steve Carell as an actor, especially after seeing him on “The Office,” for so long, and “Crazy, Stupid Love.” Britt Robertson who plays Cara, Dan’s rebellious daughter, I’ve seen only once before in a film called “Cherry.” Her role in that film, and in this film is almost interchangeable. It was definitely a well-casted role. The rest of the cast was completely new to me, and they did an average job.  

                For the most part this film was ordinary. For the most part, it had no real big laughs that Steve Carell has given us elsewhere. The plot was typical. The theme was, however, well conveyed. The acting was also fairly normal. I’d say this film is worth a watch, but not a re-watch.