Dan In Real Life
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''Dan in Real Life'' is a 2007 American
comedy drama Comedy drama (also known by the portmanteau dramedy) is a hybrid genre of works that combine elements of comedy and Drama (film and television), drama. In film, as well as scripted television series, serious dramatic subjects (such as death, il ...
film directed by Peter Hedges, and stars Steve Carell,
Alison Pill Alison Pill (born November 27, 1985) is a Canadian actress. A former child actress, Pill began her career at age 12, appearing in numerous projects before transitioning to adult roles with a breakthrough role in the television series '' The Bo ...
, Juliette Binoche, Dianne Wiest, John Mahoney and
Dane Cook Dane Jeffrey Cook (born March 18, 1972) is an American stand-up comedian and film actor. He is known for his use of observational comedy, observational, often blue comedy, vulgar, and sometimes black comedy, dark comedy. He released six comedy ...
. This is the first
Touchstone Pictures Touchstone Pictures was an American film distribution label of Walt Disney Studios, founded and owned by The Walt Disney Company. Feature films released under the Touchstone label were produced and financed by Walt Disney Studios, and featured ...
film to be distributed by
Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures is an American film distributor within the Disney Entertainment division of the Walt Disney Company. It handles theatrical and occasional digital distribution, marketing, and promotion for films produced and ...
after Disney retired the Buena Vista brand from its distribution division. The film received generally favorable reviews from critics and grossed $68 million worldwide.


Plot

Dan Burns is a newspaper advice columnist, author, widower, and single parent to his three daughters, living in
North Jersey North Jersey, also known as Northern New Jersey, comprises the northern portions of the U.S. state of New Jersey between the upper Delaware River and the Atlantic Ocean. As a distinct toponym, North Jersey is a colloquial one rather than an a ...
. Dan and his daughters take a weekend trip to the oceanside
Rhode Island Rhode Island ( ) is a state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders Connecticut to its west; Massachusetts to its north and east; and the Atlantic Ocean to its south via Rhode Island Sound and Block Is ...
home of Dan's parents for an annual family gathering. In attendance are Dan's older brother and sister with their families, as well as Dan's younger brother Mitch, who is known for his carefree lifestyle and robust dating history. The morning after arriving in Rhode Island, Dan meets Marie in a bookshop and the two are instantly attracted to each other. They spend the morning sharing a pastry over heartfelt conversation, although she gently warns him that she has a new boyfriend and leaves. Dan returns to his parents' house and announces that he has "met someone,” whereupon the whole family encourages him to "go for it.” Within minutes of this, Mitch introduces his new girlfriend, who turns out to be Marie. The family, and particularly Dan’s daughters, take an instant liking to Marie. Dan is disheartened upon seeing Mitch’s feelings for Marie, and resists his father's advice about looking for love after his wife’s death four years earlier. To avoid awkwardness, Dan and Marie decide against telling the family of their meeting, but spend the next few days in frustration as they realize their instantaneous connection. Dan butts heads with his middle daughter, Cara, who grows more exasperated with Dan's dismissal of her relationship with her high school boyfriend Marty, whom Cara claims to have fallen in "love" with in three days. Upon his mother's insistence, Dan reluctantly agrees to a blind date with his siblings' once unattractive childhood friend, Ruthie "Pig Face" Draper, who has since grown into a beautiful and successful physician. Mitch and Marie join them for a double date and Dan delights in making Marie jealous of him and Ruthie. Tension grows between Dan and Marie, culminating at the family's football game and talent show, where Dan plays guitar as Mitch sings " Let My Love Open the Door"; during the bridge and unbeknownst to the family, Dan sings to Marie. Marie, who has been reading Dan's written work over the weekend, tearfully confesses that since meeting Dan she has realized her feelings for Mitch are platonic and cannot bear to keep pretending otherwise. The next morning, Marie breaks up with Mitch and leaves. Marie later calls Dan and reveals that she is still in town, and they meet at a bowling alley to talk. The meeting evolves into a date and finally a passionate kiss, interrupted when Dan's entire family arrives to bowl and are shocked to find them. Angry and betrayed, Mitch punches Dan in the face and Marie hurries out in tears. Embarrassed, Dan's three daughters angrily turn on him. While apologizing to them, Dan is forced to admit that he had fallen in love with Marie within three days, much like Cara and Marty had. Mitch, despite his apparent devastation earlier, forgives Dan and immediately rebounds with Ruthie, suggesting that his feelings for Marie had not been very strong to begin with. Urged by his daughters, Dan takes them to
New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...
, where they find Marie at her gym. As he makes eye contact with her, Dan, in voice-over, tells the readers of his advice column that instead of merely planning ahead in life, they should "plan to be surprised." The film ends with Dan and Marie celebrating their wedding in the backyard of his parents' oceanside home, with the entire family present.


Cast


Home media

The film was released on DVD and Blu-ray on March 11, 2008.


Production

The film was shot in
New Jersey New Jersey is a U.S. state, state located in both the Mid-Atlantic States, Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States, Northeastern regions of the United States. Located at the geographic hub of the urban area, heavily urbanized Northeas ...
and
Rhode Island Rhode Island ( ) is a state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders Connecticut to its west; Massachusetts to its north and east; and the Atlantic Ocean to its south via Rhode Island Sound and Block Is ...
in the cities of Newport, East Greenwich, West Greenwich, Jamestown, Westerly, and Providence in November and December 2006. The opening scene was filmed at Seven Stars Bakery in Providence. However, the facade of the building and the interior are altered. The first time Dan is pulled over by the Jamestown, Rhode Island police, he is on Ocean Avenue in Newport, Rhode Island. The second time, Dan is pulled over by Mackerel Cove in Jamestown. In scenes filmed in Jamestown, two bridges are clearly visible: the Jamestown Bridge and its replacement, the Jamestown Verrazzano Bridge. Demolition of the Jamestown Bridge was initiated on April 18, 2006. The film also cast local residents of neighboring towns and cities consisting of Middletown, North Kingstown and North Providence as Dan's nieces and nephews. The date scene was filmed in two different places in Westerly. The inside shots were filmed at Alley Katz Bowling Center, while the exterior shots were filmed at Misquamicut Beach. What is now the Windjammer was dressed to look like the outside of the bowling center. The sunset scene with the entire family on the beach was filmed at Napatree Point in Westerly.


Soundtrack

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: # "Family Theme Waltz" - Sondre Lerche # "To Be Surprised" - Lerche # "I'll Be OK" - Lerche # "Dan and Marie Picking Hum" - Lerche # "My Hands Are Shaking" - Lerche # "Dan in Real Life" - Lerche # "Hell No" - Lerche and
Regina Spektor Regina Ilyinichna Spektor (, ; born February 18, 1980) is a Russian Americans, Russian-born American singer, songwriter, and pianist. After self-releasing her first three records and gaining popularity in New York City's Indie music scene, in ...
# "Family Theme" - Lerche # "Fever" - A Fine Frenzy # "Airport Taxi Reception" - Lerche and The Faces Down Quartet # "Dan and Marie Melody" - Lerche # "Human Hands" - Lerche and The Faces Down Quartet # "I'll Be OK" (Instrumental Reprise) - Lerche # " Let My Love Open the Door" -
Pete Townshend Peter Dennis Blandford Townshend (; born 19 May 1945) is an English musician. He is the co-founder, guitarist, keyboardist, second lead vocalist, principal songwriter and leader of the Who, one of the most influential rock bands of the 1960s an ...
# "Dan and Marie Finale Theme" - Lerche # "Modern Nature" - Lerche and Lillian Samdal # "Ruthie Pigface Draper" (bonus track) -
Dane Cook Dane Jeffrey Cook (born March 18, 1972) is an American stand-up comedian and film actor. He is known for his use of observational comedy, observational, often blue comedy, vulgar, and sometimes black comedy, dark comedy. He released six comedy ...
and Norbert Leo Butz, taken from a scene in the movie " Mr. Blue Sky" by the
Electric Light Orchestra The Electric Light Orchestra (ELO) are an English rock band formed in Birmingham in 1970 by multi-instrumentalists Jeff Lynne and Roy Wood and drummer Bev Bevan. Their music is characterised by a fusion of pop and classical arrangement ...
is featured in the TV and radio advertisements for the movie, as well as "Let My Love Open the Door" by Pete Townshend and " Henrietta" by
The Fratellis The Fratellis ( ) are a Scottish rock band from Glasgow, formed in 2005. The band consists of three unrelated members, who perform under pseudonyms: lead vocalist and guitarist Jon Fratelli, bassist Barry Fratelli, and drummer Mince Fratelli ...
. The club mix of Inaya Day's " Nasty Girl (Vanity 6 song)" and
Earth, Wind & Fire Earth, Wind & Fire (abbreviated as EW&F or EWF) is an American band formed in Chicago, Illinois in 1969. Their music spans multiple genres, including jazz, R&B, soul, funk, disco, pop, Latin and Afro-pop. They are among the best-selling ba ...
's " September '99 ( Phats & Small Remix)" are also featured in separate scenes in the movie but are not on the soundtrack. "Human Hands" written by
Elvis Costello Declan Patrick MacManus (born 25 August 1954), known professionally as Elvis Costello, is an English singer, songwriter, record producer, author and television host. According to ''Rolling Stone'', Costello "reinvigorated the literate, lyrical ...
(the original version appears on his album '' Imperial Bedroom'').


Reception


Box office

The film opened October 26, 2007 in the United States and Canada, and grossed $11.8 million in 1,921 theaters its opening weekend, ranking #2 at the box office. By the end of its run, the film grossed $68.4 million. It was the first Touchstone movie to be released under the
Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures is an American film distributor within the Disney Entertainment division of the Walt Disney Company. It handles theatrical and occasional digital distribution, marketing, and promotion for films produced and ...
name following the retirement of the previous
Buena Vista Pictures Distribution Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures is an American film distributor within the Disney Entertainment division of the Walt Disney Company. It handles theatrical and occasional digital distribution, marketing, and promotion for films produced and ...
.


Critical response

On review aggregator
Rotten Tomatoes Rotten Tomatoes is an American review aggregator, review-aggregation website for film and television. The company was launched in August 1998 by three undergraduate students at the University of California, Berkeley: Senh Duong, Patrick Y. Lee ...
, the film holds an approval rating of 65% based on 170 reviews, with an average rating of 6.2/10. The website's critical consensus reads, "The fine performances elevate ''Dan in Real Life'' beyond its sentimental plot." On
Metacritic Metacritic is an American website that aggregates reviews of films, television shows, music albums, video games, and formerly books. For each product, the scores from each review are averaged (a weighted average). Metacritic was created ...
, the film has a weighted average score of 65 out of 100, based on 34 critics, indicating "generally favorable" reviews. Audiences polled by
CinemaScore CinemaScore is an American market research firm based in Las Vegas. It surveys film audiences to rate their viewing experiences with letter grades, reports the results, and forecasts box office receipts from the data. Background Ed Mintz, who ...
gave the film an average grade of "B+" on an A+ to F scale. Some critics described it as a non-holiday holiday film that is derived from that genre and the rom-com genre in general. A. O. Scott of ''
The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...
'' wrote "not to expect too much from ''Dan in Real Life'' that way you can be pleasantly surprised.".


References


External links

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''Dan in Real Life'' DVD and Blu-ray ''o''fficial ''s''ite
{{Peter Hedges 2007 films Films set in Rhode Island Touchstone Pictures films Focus Features films 2007 comedy-drama films Films shot in Rhode Island American comedy-drama films Films about writers Films set in bookstores Films set in New Jersey Films shot in New Jersey Films about families Films about father–daughter relationships 2000s English-language films 2000s American films English-language comedy-drama films