“Dan in Real Life” could have just as easily been another Steve Carell vehicle. Carrell plays the role of Dan, a single father of three on the east coast who mistakenly falls in love with his brother’s (Dane Cook) girlfriend (Juliette Binonche) while on a family retreat. Director Peter Hedges surrounds Carrell with a gifted, ensemble cast. From John Mahoney and Dianne West as Carrell’s parents to the chemistry of a large family staying for a week at the family cabin. Everyone plays an essential role.
When Hedges, who also co-wrote the script, explains that everyone became a family while making the film you realize he is not lying to the camera. “Everyone spent two weeks together rehearsing without a camera in the house before we started shooting. When you have 19 people in such close quarters like that you become a real family” says Hedges.
The only reason this DVD did not earn a full four stars was due to some unnecessary repetition throughout the special features. What Hedges says on the making of portion is almost repeated verbatim on the commentary track of the film. If one can look over that tiny detail, the rest is beautiful.
On most DVDs deleted scenes tend to be insignificant and could easily be overlooked. However, in the nearly dozen scenes that Hedges saved for the extras all of them are touching and could have just as easily stayed in the film. Make sure to watch for the family talent show scene on the extras. It needed to shortened in order to work for the film but Hedges keeps almost every act on the special features. In the end it is just the cast being silly but it gives the viewer the true sense of family that was created on the set. It is almost impossible not to be touched.
Another truly special part of the DVD is the director’s insight on the soundtrack. Composed and created entirely by Sondre Lerche the director allows the music to become a character in the film. It is unique to see the composer of a film hanging out on the set with a guitar busting into song whenever he feels like it. Lerche approaches the film with almost no ego and that comes through onto the film itself.
One thing to note, it’s nice to see that all of the special features from the documentaries to even the deleted scenes, are provided here in HD. However all of extras are all also included on the standard DVD as well. There are apparently “easter eggs” exclusive to the blu-ray release, but try as I did, I could not find them. If you are able to figure out how to get them, let me know.
So when you are wandering through the video store next Saturday night and cannot decide what to pick up, go for “Dan in Real Life”. If you have a blu-ray player do yourself a favor and pick it up on this format. The film will speak to you whether you are watching it by yourself or with the whole family. Few films are universal, but one with so much heart and love at is core deserves to be.
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