Review by Andrea Birgers
Steve Carrell goes from a hapless 40-year-old virgin to a hapless widowed father of three daughters in Dan in Real Life. After setting up some conflicts with his daughters, the movie sends them off to his parents' home in Rhode Island for a vacation with his extended family. In a house bustling with activity, Dan's the only adult without a mate. In an unsettled mood, he heads to the bookstore in town, where he meets Marie (Juliette Binoche). When Dan gets back to the house, he finds out that she's the girlfriend of his brother, Mitch. The story occasionally veers into family sitcom territory. And like many sitcoms, it ends with lessons learned, and all the loose ends neatly and happily tied up. Then again, any other resolution would have been unsatisfying. Dan in Real Life is a nice feel-good movie with likeable characters and strong performances. Just because you know where it's going doesn't mean you can't enjoy the journey. After watching the movie, check out the deleted scenes with the commentary turned on. If you feel like more, check out the featurettes and blooper reel. You can skip the audio commentary.

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