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Dan's Life Is Almost Too Real

In that way, it's much like real life

By Sam Gale Rosen, Newser Staff

Posted Oct 26, 2007 12:12 PM CDT

(Newser) – Reaction's to Steve Carell's genial comedy Dan in Real Life range from appreciative to underwhelmed. AO Scott of the New York Times calls the film—starring Carell as a recent widower and advice columnist—"for the most part, winningly gentle and observant." Roger Ebert calls it "soothingly pleasant." Others find it too soothing. "Sorry, folks: Nothing to see here," writes Ann Hornaday in the Washington Post.

Ebert loves Carell's comic understatement, calling him "an everyman like a very (very) low-key Jack Lemmon." And all the critics fall for Juliet Binoche—the love interest who happens to be Dan's brother's girlfriend—whom Rolling Stone calls "bracingly lovely."
No one really hates the film, but some think that's the problem. "It's tough to actively dislike something this bland and inconsequential," writes James Berardinelli of ReelViews.

[Images (3)]

[Videos (1)]

Peter Hedges, left, director of the film "Dan in Real Life," shares a laugh with star Steve Carell at the premiere of the film in Los Angeles, Wednesday, Oct. 24, 2007. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello) (Associated Press)

Steve Carell, a cast member in the film "Dan in Real Life," poses at the premiere of the film in Los Angeles, Wednesday, Oct. 24, 2007. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello) (Associated Press)

This photo provided by Disney Enterprises shows Steve Carell, left, Juliette Binoche, center, and Dane Cook in a scene from "Dan In Real Life." (AP Photo/Disney Enterprises) (Associated Press)

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Dan's Life Is Almost Too Real