25. Dan in Real Life (2007)
Genre: Romantic Drama
Director: Peter Hedges
Writers: Pierce Gardner, Peter Hedges
Stars: Steve Carell, Juliette Binoche, Dane Cook, Dianne Wiest, John Mahoney
Awards: none
Metacritic score: 65
IMDB Ranking: n/a
I'm a sucker for romantic comedies—it's actually my favorite genre of movie, although the past year has kept those DVDs on the shelf for the time being—and this is one of the most recent additions to my favorites list.
Steve Carell is a widower with three daughters who falls in love with his brother's (Dane Cook) new girlfriend (Juliette Binoche...who wouldn't?) over a long family weekend at their parents' (Mahoney & Wiest) beach house. All the brothers and sisters, along with their kids, are in the house, and the dynamic of the large extended family is the background for the unfolding of the complicated romance.
The fun in the movie is watching Carell and Binoche, who have an amazing chemistry together, resist their attraction to each other for the sake of the unwitting brother, who despite being played by dude-bro comedian Cook is really a decent, caring guy. The problem is that Carell and Binoche are truly meant to be together, but they can't do so without hurting the whole family...which they do despite their best efforts.
The resolution to everything is both sweet and poignant, and it really captures the heartache that love often causes. Just about every scene in this film is quiet and understated, and the last shot of Binoche is enough to give even the most cynical viewer renewed hope in true love.
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