KEY POINTS:
Herald rating: * * *
Cast: Steve Carell, Juliette Binoche, Dianne Wiest, John Mahoney
Director: Peter Hedges
Running time: 98 mins
Rating: PG (sexual references)
Screening: SkyCity, Hoyts Berkeley
Verdict: Great performances make this relatively predictable rom-com enjoyable.
He charmed as a 40-year-old virgin, made a credible gay suicidal expert in Proust, and still makes us grimace as the bumbling boss of The Office, but in Dan In Real Life Steve Carell does the seemingly impossible and convinces us he's a very normal, everyday father of three.
Reminiscent of The Family Stone, DIRL is an above-average formulaic romantic comedy, but even if you do have a pretty good idea how it's all going to pan out, it's enjoyable watching it all unfold.
With a quirky script and clever casting, there is something genuinely sweet and endearing about this film.
Dan Ashburn (Carell) is a popular parenting advice newspaper columnist. As a single dad to three daughters you'd think Dan would know what he's talking about. But when it comes to his own family, he's an overly protective father who would rarely take his own advice.
The film kicks off with Dan and the girls heading to his parents' Rhode Island home for a traditional family holiday gathering.
There, Dan meets gorgeous, mysterious Frenchwoman Marie (Binoche) - only she's his brother's new girlfriend.
Much as in The 40 Year Old Virgin, Carell makes us laugh as he stumbles through embarrassing and cringe-inducing moments, but never lets his character lose his dignity or likeability.
Binoche brings a touch of class and maturity to the film, even if she does occasionally look surprised to be there, but it's the whole ensemble, including veterans such as Wiest and Mahoney, who, with Carell, make this an enjoyable and amusing watch.
