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"DAN IN REAL LIFE" (2007) (Steve Carell, Juliette Binoche) (PG-13) Alcohol/ Drugs Blood/Gore Disrespectful/ Bad Attitude Frightening/ Tense Scenes Guns/ Weapons Mild Minor Moderate None Minor Imitative Behavior Jump Scenes Music (Scary/Tense) Music (Inappropriate) Profanity Mild None None Moderate Mild Sex/ Nudity Smoking Tense Family Scenes Topics To Talk About Violence Moderate None Moderate Moderate Mild QUICK TAKE: Dramedy: A widowed advice columnist thinks that perhaps he's found true love, only to discover that the woman of his dreams is already dating his brother. PLOT: Dan Burns (STEVE CARELL) is a popular family advice columnist in the local paper, but his personal life is less than perfect. A widower for four years, he's yet to get back into the dating scene, but his hands are full with his three daughters. While the youngest, Lily (MARLENE LAWSTON), doesn't test his patience, his oldest, Jane (ALISON PILL), is frustrated that he won't let her drive, while middle daughter, Cara (BRITTANY ROBERTSON), is upset that her dad won't let her date the boy of her dreams. Accordingly, there isn't much family love as they head off to the Rhode Island home of Dan's parents, Nana (DIANE WIEST) and Poppy (JOHN MAHONEY), where the rest of the extended family has also gathered. Everyone is concerned about Dan's social life, so they're excited when he tells them about a woman he just met at the local bookstore while out for the afternoon. While she's just started a new relationship, he thinks he's experienced love at first sight. Before he can say anything else about her, however, he finds out much to his shock that Marie (JULIETTE BINOCHE) is dating his brother, Mitch (DANE COOK). She's just as shocked as Dan and the two try to keep their meeting and feelings toward each other secret. Yet, as Dan grows increasingly frustrated by having her so close and yet so far away, and as Marie becomes jealous when Dan is set up on a blind date with Ruthie (EMILY BLUNT), a former neighbor turned plastic surgeon, the two must decide what to do about their unique predicament. WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT? If they're fans of someone in the cast they might, but other than that, it doesn't seem too likely. WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: PG-13 For some innuendo. CAST AS ROLE MODELS: STEVE CARELL plays a newspaper columnist who advises others about family and personal matters, but doesn't live a perfect life. Besides having to deal with his three daughters and their demands, he finds himself in the awkward situation of falling in love with what turns out to be his brother's new girlfriend. Frustrated by that, he starts acting up and making bad choices. He also drinks a bit. JULIETTE BINOCHE plays a woman who's in a new relationship with Mitch, but then ends up falling for his brother, and must decide what to do. She drinks a bit. DANE COOK plays Dan's brother who's in love with Marie and thus is shattered when he learns of her love for Dan. ALISON PILL plays Dan's oldest daughter who's somewhat accepted the role of the mother figure in the family following her mom's death, but is frustrated that her dad won't let her drive. BRITTANY ROBERTSON plays Dan's middle daughter, a drama queen whose burgeoning sexuality troubles him, all while she's upset that he tries to keep her from seeing her boyfriend. MARLENE LAWSTON plays Dan's youngest daughter. DIANE WIEST and JOHN MAHONEY play Dan's loving parents who are concerned about him. EMILY BLUNT plays a vivacious plastic surgeon who goes on a blind date with Dan and drinks a bit. CAST, CREW, & TECHNICAL INFO HOW OTHERS RATED THIS MOVIE Curious if this title is entertaining, any good, and/or has any artistic merit? Then read OUR TAKE of this film. (Note: The "Our Take" review of this title examines the film's artistic merits and does not take into account any of the possibly objectionable material listed below). OUR WORD TO PARENTS: The following is a brief summary of the content found in this PG-13 rated dramedy. Profanity consists of a number of mild expletives, while colorful phrases are also uttered. Various instances of sexually related dialogue or innuendo are present, as are some song lyrics. A woman reluctantly ends up in a shower with the guy she likes (he's fully clothed, she's nude, but all we see is a brief and partial view of a bare breast), but nothing sexual occurs. Violence includes a brief punch to the face and a separate accidental football to the same, both with slightly bloody results. Various characters have bad attitudes, while tense family material is present, as is related thematic material. Some characters briefly drink, while some behavior might be enticing for some kids to imitate. If you're still concerned about the film and its appropriateness for yourself or anyone else in your home who may be interested in seeing it, we suggest that you take a closer look at our detailed listings for more specific information regarding the film's content. ALCOHOL OR DRUG USE Various family members have wine with dinner. Nana tells Dan that he's going to have drinks with Ruthie. Later, we see the two of them having beer with Mitch and Marie in a bar where miscellaneous people drink. Some people have champagne at a wedding. BLOOD/GORE We see just the cover of a kids' book called "Everyone Poops." During a football game, the ball hits Dan in the nose. Later, we see Nana holding a slightly bloody tissue to his nose. Dan has a little bit of an abrasion on his face after being punched, as well as a little bit of a bloody lip. DISRESPECTFUL/BAD ATTITUDE Cara lies to her dad about where she was going (to meet her boyfriend). Jane and Cara end up so miffed with their dad that they won't speak to him when they first arrive at his parents' place. Some viewers might be offended by terms such as "hottie" and "that girl is smoking." In front of Marie and the rest of his family, Dan points out Mitch's many previous girlfriends, including one he doubts was really a massage therapist. Cara refers to Dan as a "loser of a father." Various family members refer to Dan's pending date as formerly being called "pig-faced," and many related comments are then made about her ("It will be swine," "Go hog wild," etc., with Marie snorting like a pig), while Dan's brothers do a song about just that (but the joke is on them as the women turns out to be attractive). Despite her being Mitch's girlfriend, Marie is jealous of Ruthie being attractive and fun, and thus purposefully burns Dan's pancakes the next morning. Pulled over again for failing to stop at a stop sign, Dan jokingly tells the officer, "Put it on my tab." Dan doesn't come straight with Mitch (or the rest of the family) about the way he really feels about Marie (and vice-versa). Cara states that her dad not only is a "murderer of love," but also the worst parent alive. FRIGHTENING SCENES None. GUNS/WEAPONS A cop wears a standard sidearm. IMITATIVE BEHAVIOR Phrases: "Unclog that drain," "Uncork that bottle" and "So, did you uncork?" (all sexual), "Duh," "Get a life," "Dude," "Hot damn," "Hottie," "We hit the mother lode," "That girl is smoking," "This corn is like an angel," "You're such a freak," "A loser of a father," "Sit with my peeps," "Pig-faced," "I don't want to go with the pig-face," "It will be swine," "Go hog-wild," "You're a murderer of love," "Put it on my tab," "What the hell /is going on?" "You son of a bitch" and "This is so queer" (or "weird"). Cara wears sweats or similar pants that have the words "You Wish" written across the backside. Cara wears a slight, midriff-revealing top. As part of the family talent show, Cara says that what she's about to do is for her boyfriend. She then ties a knot in a cherry stem in her mouth (a sexual connotation about what she can do with her tongue). Cara wears a midriff-revealing top. JUMP SCENES None. MUSIC (SCARY/TENSE) None. MUSIC (INAPPROPRIATE) The song "Fever" has some non-explicit, sexually related lyrics. We didn't note if the Vanity 6 song "Nasty Girl" is played in full or was edited, but much of it's present and it has risqué and sexually related lyrics ("Do you think I'm a nasty girl?" and other such lines). PROFANITY At least 2 hells, 1 damn, 1 S.O.B., 3 uses of "Oh my God," 2 of "Oh God" and 1 use of "Oh Lord." SEX/NUDITY Dan finds a pair of thong panties in the laundry, asks Cara if they're hers, and she looks at him as if he's crazy. Cara wears sweats or similar pants that have the words "You Wish" written across the backside. In various scenes in various outfits, Marie shows some cleavage. Cara asks Marie when a boyfriend becomes a lover. Marie leads Mitch's family in some exercises, with the camera briefly focusing on her clothed butt, representing Dan's POV from behind her. After that's done, we see Marie draped over Mitch as both stretch (various positions, all clothed, and nothing explicit, but there is close contact), prompting one man there to state, jokingly, that maybe his wife will try that on him later. We overhear Mitch telling Nana (about Marie) that he wants to pounce on her, and ride her up the beach, etc. (but this is more from love-based enthusiasm than sexual desire). Dan and Marie discuss their predicament in the bathroom, but then Cara knocks on the door, wanting to talk to Marie. Dan hides in the shower, but Cara wonders if Marie's about to take a shower, and when she answers she is, Cara reaches in and turns on the water (thus soaking Dan who's standing there, clothed). Cara then tells Marie the shower is ready and then reminds her she's still clothed when she starts to step into it. Accordingly, Marie removes her clothes (we see part of the side of her bare breast, as well as her bare back) and gets into the shower with Dan (thus he sees her nudity, but we don't, although it appears at least her arm is across her chest -- we don't see her crotch area). He then puts a washcloth over his eyes, but this just gets her laughing, which she tries to stifle since Cara is still in the bathroom, getting something off her chest (and not realizing her dad is in there). About Dan not dating anyone, his other brother (not Mitch) says that Dan has to be "backed up," adding that he hopes he's treating himself to some "self love." Saying his urologist told him that, he tells Dan that he (Dan) has to "unclog that drain" and "uncork that bottle" (all as Dan can't believe he's hearing this). Ruthie shows some cleavage, and then does some sashaying while standing at a jukebox. The old Peggy Lee song "Fever" has some non-explicit, sexually related lyrics. We didn't note if the Vanity 6 song "Nasty Girl" is played in full or was edited, but much of it's present and it has risqué and sexually related lyrics ("Do you think I'm a nasty girl?" and other such lines). About Dan's date the night before with Ruthie, his brother jokingly says that he heard Dan worked up "quite the appetite last night," followed by, "So, did you uncork?" During a football game, Dan tackles Marie and then stays on top of her for a while (both clothed, in front of his family, but only Jane later calls him on the flirting). Dan catches Cara kissing her boyfriend, but she then tells her dad that when it comes to sex, it's her boyfriend who wants to wait. Dan then asks what part of that statement is supposed to give him comfort. As part of the family talent show, Cara says that what she's about to do is for her boyfriend. She then ties a knot in a cherry stem in her mouth (a sexual connotation about what she can do with her tongue). Dan and Marie briefly, but passionately kiss. SMOKING None. TENSE FAMILY SCENES Jane is upset with her dad when he won't let her drive. Jane and Cara end up so miffed with their dad that they won't speak to him when they first arrive at his parents' place. We hear Dan briefly mentioning his late wife to Marie, saying she got sick and was then gone. We later hear it's been four years since her death. Cara refers to Dan as a "loser of a father." When Mitch discovers that Dan and Marie have a thing, he punches his brother in the face, knocking him to the floor. Cara states that her dad not only is a "murderer of love," but also the worst parent alive. Cara and Jane are upset with their dad for him repeatedly blowing off their younger sister after she's created something for him (he didn't know what it was, and was preoccupied). TOPICS TO TALK ABOUT Dealing with death in a family. People who don't follow their own advice. A single father trying to raise three daughters. The notion of love at first sight. Cara asks Marie when a boyfriend becomes a lover. The comment that love is not a feeling, but rather an ability. The comment, "Plan to be surprised" (meaning about life). VIOLENCE Sneaking out of a second floor window, Dan ends up falling off the roof (we don't see the impact, and he's okay). During a football game, the ball hits Dan in the nose. Later, we see Nana holding a slightly bloody tissue to his nose. When Mitch discovers that Dan and Marie have a thing, he punches his brother in the face, knocking him to the floor. Dan accidentally backs into a cop's car (slow speed, no one is hurt). Reviewed October 20, 2007 / Posted October 26, 2007

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