Cineppets: Dan the Man

DAN IN REAL LIFE
Peter Hedges, dir; USA; 98"
Reviewed 10/23/07

Lately, little Rhody has been awash in film productions from UNDERDOG, to HARD LUCK, to 27 DRESSES. Each time a new film is trumpeted as being made in RI, anticipation soars that it will be the one that will put our petite state on the filmmaking map. So far, the cinematic scorecard hasn't been nearly so exciting as the recent Red Sox World Series run. I was looking forward to seeing DAN IN REAL LIFE. I like Steve Carell and the film sounded interesting- a widower falls in love with his brother's new girlfriend. Maybe this could be our big film breakthrough? I don’t think so; the reviews have been mixed. Add a dab of Carell's hang-dog expression, a dash of adorable children, a heaping of college-circuit star Dane Cook, top it all off with a generous dollop of Juliette Binoche, and you've got the ingredients for a cutesy-sweet comedy treat. But I think someone must have replaced the real sugar with Splenda, because by the end of watching the flick I had a bit of a headache. It was, at times, a little too indulgent. With DAN we see the limits of Steve's comedy. He stays close to his Charlie Brown shtick. The story calls for plenty of zany situations, as Steve spends a long weekend with his parents, siblings, daughters, nieces, nephews, and love interest in a cramped beachside cottage. I would have thought more booze would be needed, but apparently non-stop crossword tournaments and talent shows are the glue that keeps this family together. It's a good film for a bus ride, but prepare to leave feeling over-satiated: like drinking an Awful-Awful with your chocolate sundae.