What Do The Critics Say?

"A smart and sassy romantic comedy about two people who are surprised by love and forced to navigate its tricky waters in a large extended family setting." Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat SPIRITUALITY AND PRACTICE "As a surprisingly engaging romantic comedy starring an unlikely romantic lead, Dan in Real Life warms your heart in all the right places." Kit Bowen HOLLYWOOD.COM "A wry, smart and perceptive dramedy about family and life's other surprises." Mack Bates MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL "An utterly charming crowd-pleasing comedy that adds another impressive performance to Steve Carell's resume." Edward Douglas COMINGSOON "Carell once again displays the range that makes him something more than just another funny guy. Binoche is so appealing that you immediately understand why Dan has been smitten." Robert W Butler KANSAS CITY STAR

"Carell brings depth and sweetness to the role, showing us Dan's longing before Dan can acknowledge it himself." Nell Minow BELIEFNET "Dan in Real Life is a comedy of faith that, in its wised-up feel-good way, restores yours." Owen Gleiberman ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY "Finally a really smart, really funny movie about the ups and downs of life, love and family." Peter Hammond MAXIM "I came away thinking that it just might be the sweetest film of the year." Jonathan W Hickman ENTERTAINMENT INSIDERS "This is one of those "feel good" movies that really does make you feel good." Mike McGranaghan AISLE SEAT "The heart is there, and the message gets you." Roger Moore ORLANDO SENTINEL "A sweet, affectionate and emotionally genuine venture into that complicated crossroads of family tribal conflict and found love, however unavailable that sexy creature might be." Prairie Miller LONG ISLAND PRESS

The Inside Story The family weekend. Few events in American or Australian life for that matter, conjure up such a wild mix of situations and emotions, from angst to affection, from heartache to hilarity. With all the funny foibles and complications of relationships between grandparents, parents, children and in-laws, it’s certainly no place for a vulnerable man to fall haplessly in love with an entirely off-limits woman. In "Dan In Real Life" it is! The story of Dan Burns was, indeed, inspired by real life, emerging out of screenwriter Pierce Gardner’s own personal experience with the often hilarious, sometimes surprise-filled, phenomenon of big family get-togethers. "I’ve spent the last 18 years going to Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, with my wife, all four of her siblings, her parents and more; altogether between twenty three and twenty seven people," Gardner explained. "There is something fascinating about the dynamic of all these people together in one house, and I always wanted to write about that." To add a twist to the family tension, Gardner developed the idea of inserting a newcomer into the family: a bewitchingly beautiful woman who accidentally sparks a competition between the family’s two brothers in a most unexpected way. As the characters came to life on the page, Gardner found himself increasingly compelled by Dan’s completely accidental way of jumpstarting his life with the most complicated of dating games. "What's make Dan so interesting is that when he finally starts to feel something again, this person who supposedly has this strong moral compass and this serious sense of responsibility does everything wrong as quickly as possible," Gardner laughs. "And that's simply because love humbles everybody. From the greatest men in the world to the butcher, the baker, even Britney Spears: nobody is spared when it comes to love." When producer Jon Shestack ("Waiting" & "Air Force One") discovered Gardner’s spec script, he was immediately seduced not only by the story’s comic originality and sophisticated sense of fun but equally so by its deeply relatable themes about family and cutting through detours and mishaps to the truly meaningful stuff in life. "I found it to be the most life-affirming, charming, wonderful story, reflecting everything we think is important," Shestack recalls. "The night I read it, I called Pierce’s manager, Noah Rosen, and soon after submitted it to Touchstone." Producer Brad Epstein ("Ed" & "About a Boy"), who was an executive at Disney at the time, was equally impressed, recalling, "I fell in love with the characters and with how human, ironic, funny and yet moving it managed to be; and especially with the portrait of Dan raising these three daughters on his own. I have always wanted to make movies like this." He also knew the material’s tone (its fast-moving blend of quick wit and true emotion) would be tough to nail, but he had in mind a director he was convinced could carry off the challenging task. That person was author, playwright, screenwriter and lauded film director Peter Hedges. Knowing that Hedges prefers to direct his own screenplays, Epstein at first asked him to work up a new draft of the script, but before he knew it, Hedges had come to him saying he wanted to direct it as well. "In working on the screenplay, he’d found his voice within this material; he had really made it his own," says Epstein. One of the elements that instantly attracted Hedges was the Burns family itself, which felt to him palpably real, as full of chaos and warmth as any typical American family. "I liked that this was a chance to explore a family that wasn’t really dysfunctional or broken," the 2003 FIPRESCI Prize winning Hedges ("Pieces Of April") explained. "Too many romantic comedies are disconnected from how most people live in the world, and I think what makes "Dan In Real Life" different is that you can really identify with these characters." At the heart of this film is Dan Burns, a respected advice columnist, philosophical widower father and supposedly reasonable family man who suddenly finds himself made foolish, tongue-twisted, awkward, sneaky, guilty and, to his dismay, utterly renewed by an accidental crash into love. To take Dan through this gamut of emotions while keeping a hold on the comically frazzled and hapless soul of the character, the filmmakers searched for the rare actor capable of juggling extremes while with wit and aplomb while also having the appeal of a deeply likable Everyman. That 'Everyman' would be the star of "Evan Almighty", Steve Carell. "I wanted somebody who would feel real as Dan, who would be both funny and heartbreaking," Hedges said. "And Steve is obviously quite funny, but he also is a very soulful man. Fortunately, he was brave enough to try something quite different from what people are accustomed to him doing and to show a side we haven’t seen before." "What I liked about the script is that it resonated strongly that this was a real guy. In fact all of the characters in the movie seemed like they could actually be living, breathing people. It’s true to life and I hope it moves people while constantly making them laugh," says the 2008 Screen Actors Guild Award winner Carell ("The Office"). When it came to the character of Marie, the object of Dan and his brother’s dueling affections, Peter Hedges dared to envision one of today’s most luminous and talented actresses making a comic turn. At first the idea of recruiting Academy Award ® winning French actress Juliette Binoche ("The English Patient") to play the love interest in an American romantic comedy seemed like a far-away dream: but then it came true. "Juliette has one of the most expressive faces in the movies and she threw herself totally into this role. Marie reflects many of Juliette’s qualities: delightful, charming, open and interested in everything around her," Shestack notes. The idea of Binoche was initially inspired by Steve Carell, who suggested to Peter Hedges: "find an actress with a really good heart." "I saw a lot of wonderful actresses for the role but I was looking for that pairing that would align with Steve in an original way and Juliette was it," the director says. Binoche was attracted first to the screenplay’s deft blend of comic and real situations. "Like in the great Lubitsch or Capra films, there's a layer truth, of everyday existence, creating feelings you recognize in this story," the 1997 BAFTA Award winning actress ("The English Patient") says. "I also felt that Peter Hedges had the ability to find that wonderful line where the tragedy of life meets the comedy of life. When I saw his first film, "Pieces of April", that's what I loved about it and that's why I wanted to make this movie." Completing the third side of this unexpected familial triangle is Dan’s brother, the charismatic fitness trainer Mitch, played by 2000 Pixie Award winner Dane Cook ("Spiral"). Hedges cast Cook almost immediately after seeing his show at Madison Square Garden and meeting him at his hotel afterwards. "The minute I saw Dane performing I knew he was Mitch," Hedges stated. "He was really an untested film actor at that time, but I had a very strong instinct and I knew he would be a wonderful combination with Steve. I really wanted to see what might happen with these two natural comedians bouncing off one another." The story had immediate appeal to Cook. "You don’t see a lot of films like this about real families, about how inside families, you can bash each other, you can be raw and honest, but you’ll also will come to another family’s member aid," Cook said. "I thought this was a really special and unique peek into a family’s life." Working with Cook for the first time, Steve Carell was impressed. "I remember seeing Steve Martin back in his heyday as a standup and having these stadiums full of people just chanting every word that they remember from the albums, and that’s what Dane is today. He is this huge, comic persona, and yet, with all of that, he came into this project as a really kind, generous and committed actor. I think it’ll be a revelation for a lot of people when they see him." When it came time to cast the supporting roles, Hedges worked closely with his long-time friend and acclaimed Broadway casting director Bernard Telsey ("Rent", "Hairspray" & "Wicked"). As Poppy and Nana Burns, the patriarch and matriarch of the Burns clan, Hedges cast two well known and extraordinary actors. The role of Nana went to two time Academy Award ® winning actress Dianne Wiest ("Hannah and Her Sisters" 1987 & "Bullets Over Broadway" 1995). The role of Poppy went to much loved star of stage, screen and television: Screen Actors Guild Award winner John Mahoney ("Frasier"). Next came the task of finding three talented young actresses to play Dan’s alternately yearning and defiant daughters. Tony nominee Alison Pill, with whom Hedges had worked on "Pieces of April", was cast as Jane. Eight year old Marlene Lawston, who came to notice playing Jodie Foster’s imperiled daughter in "Flight Plan", was cast as young Lilly. Newcomer Brittany Robertson was cast as the provocative Cara. Carell says, "The three of them together were exceptional because they bonded immediately. They did things together and they took care of each other very much like real sisters. They are just great, funny, sweet, talented kids, and I had a great time working with them." Pill enjoyed the role of Jane, particularly "being the oldest one in the family, because I’m used to being the baby!" Synopsis

Widowed father and family advice columnist Dan Burns is still reeling from the heartache of loss. Dan takes refuge by trying to maintain order with his three rebellious young girls, while dodging anything unexpected or outside the box. But when Dan heads to Rhode Island with his miffed daughters in tow for the annual Fall weekend thrown by the large and boisterous Burns family, everything changes. Soon after his arrival, he runs into an alluring woman named Marie in a bookshop. For the first time in a very, very long time, Dan experiences real, live sparks; only to have to douse them liberally when he discovers Marie is, in fact, the brand new girlfriend his brother Mitch is about to proudly introduce to the family. As the weekend gets underway in the close quarters of a crowded house filled with quirky, prying relatives, Dan and Marie try to squelch and cover up their growing mutual attraction at every turn, all of which leads to one comical situation after another. It seems Dan and Marie are destined to fall in love.

The Verdict "The transformation of Steve Carell continues in this excellent film that will truly, 'charm the socks off you'. There's something for every cinemagoer in "Dan In Real Life", which is every bit as good as 2006's "The Family Stone". Carell shows great depth in his portrayal of Dan Burns coming across as the 'real deal'. Oscar winner Pinochete is everything you'd expect as Marie, a woman who unexpectedly finds herself in the middle of wickedly, delightful love triangle. The young actresses who play Dan's daughters shine each time they appear on the screen. Dane Cook who recently appeared with Kevin Costner in "Mr Brooks" and went on to star as Charlie Logan in "Good Luck Chuck", gives another convincing performance. I'm sure that many cinemagoers will recognize parts of their family life amongst the characters of this lively, entertaining, romantic comedy. Very recommended. 4 STARS." Cast & Crew Bytes "DAN IN REAL LIFE" stars .......
Steve Carell ["Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy", "The 40 Year Old Virgin", "Little Miss Sunshine" and "Evan Almighty"]; Juliette Binoche ["Wuthering Heights", "Jet Lag", "Hidden" and "Paris, je t'aime"]; Dane Cook ["Employee Of The Month", "Mr Brooks" and "Good Luck Chuck"]; Alison Pill ["The Life Before This", "Pieces of April" and "Fast Food High"]; Brittany Robertson ["The Last Summer", "Keeping Up with the Steins" and "Frank"]; Marlene Lawston ["Flightplan"] and Emily Blunt ["The Devil Wears Prada", "The Jane Austen Book Club" and "Charlie Wilson's War"] as Dr Ruthie Draper.
"DAN IN REAL LIFE" was .......
directed by Peter Hedges ["Pieces of April"]; screenplay by Peter Hedges ["What's Eating Gilbert Grape", "About A Boy" and "Pieces of April"] and Pierce Gardner ["Lost Souls"]; art direction by Mark Garner ["The Notebook" and "Miami Vice"]; costume design by Alix Friedberg ["Eight Legged Freaks", "The Hot Chick" and "A Lot Like Love"]; production design by Sarah Knowles ["Dead Boyz Can't Fly", "The Notebook" and "Around the Bend"]; edited by Sarah Flack ["The Limey", "Lost in Translation" and "Marie Antoinette"]; cinematography by Lawrence Sher ["Kissing Jessica Stein", "Garden State" and "The Dukes of Hazzard"]; original music by Sondre Lerche ["Lime"]. Who's Who?

Steve Carell Juliette Binoche Dane Cook Alison Pill Brittany Robertson Marlene Lawston Matthew Morrison Dianne Wiest John Mahoney Norbert Leo Butz Emily Blunt Amy Ryan Jessica Hecht Frank Wood Henry Miller Ella Miller C.J. Adams Jessica Lussier Margot Janson Felipe Dieppa Bernie McInerney Amy Landecker Steve Mellor Shana Carr

... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...

Dan Burns Marie Mitch Burns Jane Burns Cara Burns Lilly Burns Policeman Nana Burns Poppy Burns Clay Burns Dr Ruthie Draper Eileen Amy Howard Will Rachel Elliott Burns Jessica Burns Olivia Marty Barasco James Lamson Cindy Lamson Bookstore Clerk Suzanne Burns

Run Time 98 minutes Rated PG [AUST] Copyright ©2008 - ICON - All Rights Reserved ©2008 All Rights Reserved - The Mocie Pages & Impact Internet Services - Protected by Australian, International, Copyright & Trademark Laws.