Steve Carell and Juliette Binoche in "Dan In Real Life"
courtesy of Disney Home Entertainment
"Dan Is the Man"

When I first saw "Dan In Real Life" I didn't realize what a truly wonderful movie it is, but now that I have watched it again on DVD I am amazed at its warmth and depth. Steve Carell cements his status as a true leading man with his role as widower, with three adorable but complex
daughters, trying to muddle through his crazy life. Juliette Binoche and a super supporting cast add some flavor of their own to the film but it is Carell's show all the way.

Dan Burns (Carell) is a newspaper columnist, well actually he gives advise to people on how to live their lives. The irony is that his own life is not moving along too smoothly. His wife has been dead for four years and his three daughters seem to have adjusted to having Dad as the only parent. Still Jane (Alison Pill) needs some space, Cara (Brittany Robertson) is boy crazy, and Lily (Marlene Lawston) needs some one on one attention.

Oh yes, and Dan needs to find someone to date. His family is constantly stressing that to him. On a long weekend at his parent's vacation retreat he meets a woman at the local bookstore. Her
name is Marie (Binoche) and Dan is instantly taken with her. They spend a while talking and then she has to leave. Later she shows up at the family compound with Dan's younger brother Mitch (Dane Cook).

Dan is in a real quandary. He is immensely attracted to Marie but would never do anything to hurt his brother. Once again he needs someone to give him advice. He ends up letting his family fix him up with a neighborhood friend named Ruth (Emily Blunt). His attention to Ruth makes Marie jealous and leads to the climax of the film.

There is a lot of chemistry in this movie between Carell and Binoche's characters and that is what gives the movie its kick. Carell can play vulnerable like no one else, and Binoche has a laugh as earthy and enjoyable as Julia Roberts'. 

The three young actresses who play Carell's daughters are all likeable with Robertson being particularly impressive. Dane Cook is actually fun to watch in this movie and that is really a feat. Throw in John Mahoney and Dianne Wiest as Dan's parents and you have someone for everyone to like and identify with.

In addition to an involving plot this movie has some lines and situations that are laugh out loud funny. Then just as quickly you encounter something in the story that goes straight to the heart. "Dan In Real Life" has that perfect blend of the funny and the warm.

This is a DVD you can watch over and over and over. It has a great cast, a terrific story, and enough heart and humor for three movies. It is a winner!

And the loser for the week is ----- "No Country For Old Men." Okay so it won the Oscar for Best Picture of the year. It didn't get my vote "No Country For Old Men" is one of those movies critics adore and audiences are saying "huh?" Its nihilistic themes and depressing outcome are a turnoff to most people no matter how well done and well acted the movie is. It may have won awards but it sure won't win any popularity contests.

The film concerns a man named Llewelyn Moss (Josh Brolin). He is out hunting and comes upon an apparent gun battle between drug dealers and drug buyers. All of the participants are dead except for one man who is in critical condition. Moss looks around and finds a case containing a huge amount of money - which he takes.

Later that night he goes back to the scene of the crime to take water to the dying man. While there some people come up and start shooting at him. Moss takes off running and leaves his truck behind. This gives details about who he is and provides a name for people looking for the money.

The main person looking for him is Anton Chigurh (Javier Bardem). He is a cool psychopath who leaves a trail of dead bodies in his wake. He is after Moss and he plans to kill him. Moss sends his wife (Kelly Macdonald) to stay with her mother (Beth Grant), hopefully keeping her
safe while he tries to ambush Anton and kill him.

The local sheriff, Ed Tom Bell (Tommy Lee Jones) is investigating it all. He knows about Moss and he knows about Anton, so he is on the trail of both men. He is world weary and disillusioned by the violence all around him.

The movie holds your interest while it is taking place but there is never a ray of sunshine of humanity or good fortune. The point seems to be that the world has never been so evil, and for most of us there is no hope. Things are just going to get worse and worse.

The acting is excellent with Brolin being the best of the best and Bardem running close behind him. Jones is also very good, as is Macdonald. The photography is also excellent with the open ranges of the west forming a great setting for this bleak story.

The Coen Brothers have fashioned another off beat film filling it with black humor and random violence. But where everything coalesced in "Fargo," everything falls apart in this one. The critics may love it but this one member of the viewing audience did not. So remember that
awards do not necessarily mean a movie is worth watching on DVD.

If there is any creature on this earth that gives me the willies it is bats. They are the slimiest, coldest looking creatures ever invented or created. So when a horror movie comes along that features them in the title I know it is going to be a hard DVD for me to watch. But I did watch
"Bats: Human Harvest" and I did enjoy it - to some degree.

It is all about a scientist in Russia who is being sought by the Army. When they close in on him they get a surprise. He has a trained army of bats doing his bidding or at least taking care of business for him.

This DVD is scary and creepy but sometimes that is good. We all like a fright in the night and this movie delivers that and more. For a chilling DVD to watch with your friends "Bats: Human Harvest" is the one.

"You Move, You Die" is a DVD that has a lot of twists in its plot. On the surface the movie appears to be about a man who is on the way to propose to his girlfriend. He gets mugged and the ring is stolen. Now he wants it back and he will do whatever it takes to get it back - and that is where the surprises come in.

Patrick Clarke, Julian Harrison and Jonathan Allen star in this strange but interesting movie. It always helps when things are not predictable and in this new DVD things are definitely not. Watch it and try to guess the outcome.
 

 

 

 

 

©2008 Jackie K. Cooper

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