Short Movie Review of the Week

[Lukus Alderman]

I know I said I would do True Grit this week, but I thought I'd keep my review on the positive side this week since I ripped down Breakfast At Tiffany's last time.

This week I wanted to offer up a suggestion of a nice lighthearted comedy titled "Dan In Real Life". My wife and I were sitting on the couch the other night while we were waiting for our kids to fall asleep and as we flipped through the guide to see what was on, we noticed that on TNT there was the Tom Hanks film "DaVinci Code" and on the Universal Movie channel there was "Dan in Real Life".

We never saw the Hanks film, but we also never really had a desire to watch it after reading some reviews. Dan in Real Life, however, was a movie we both watched before at least two years back and we both kinda liked it (see what I did there?). We decided to stick with that channel. Here's my take on the film:

- First of all, if you're looking for a knee-slapped comedy, this isn't for you. Steve Carrel brings forth his usual dry humor mixed with a high dose of awkwardness that will make you cringe but laugh at the same time throughout.

- One of the best things about this film to me is that the actors portraying this northern family and a few outsiders aren't played by beautiful people. No, what you see in the movie are average looking people playing an average family. We're not seeing Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston trying to come off as a middle class couple barely making it in life. We see Dane Cook as the looker of the family from the male side and Julliette Binoche playing the female character that Carrel is going after.

- Man, Carrel's family is freaking brutal towards him at time. Are people really that rude to their own brother/son and think they're helping? Maybe it's a northeastern thing.

- The one thing in the movie I wasn't a fan of is how the movie portrays his relationship with his three kids. This is a guy who is supposed to be an expert on parenting and his single parent family structure screams dysfunction. Maybe I'm just seeing this from a viewpoint of not knowing how it would be like if I was in his shoes.

Overall, I'm not a huge chick flick guy, but this is one I liked and would recommend for a date night at home with the significant other if your looking for a lighthearted fun movie.

Next week: True Grit

 

[SFlonghorngirl]

Thanks for the review Lukas. Looking forward to many more!

 

[Sirhornsalot]

To counter this brush with your feminine side that you so eagerly rolled around and wallowed in, you'll need to come back with something like True Grit or at least Fight Club just to get your man card back.

 

[Lukus Alderman]

I knew this one wouldn't get much attention since I'm not bashing a crappy popular movie. Nex week should be a firecracker of sorts, however.

 

[streettopeschel]

Ill take 'obscure movies nobody cares about for $200, Alex'

 

[armadillo slim]

I knew this one wouldn't get much attention since I'm not bashing a crappy popular movie. Nex week should be a firecracker of sorts, however.

i'm on pins and needles

 

[youknow]

"The one thing in the movie I wasn't a fan of is how the movie portrays his relationship with his three kids. This is a guy who is supposed to be an expert on parenting and his single parent family structure screams dysfunction. Maybe I'm just seeing this from a viewpoint of not knowing how it would be like if I was in his shoes."

I think this is the "irony" part of this movie. Is anyone really an expert on parenting and single parent skills. His interview shows his faults and what one would be willing to do to make yourself a better person. It was that human side that untimely land him that job. I think he get's the job, correct? It's been several years since I've seen the movie.

 

[joeywa]

I knew this one wouldn't get much attention since I'm not bashing a crappy popular movie. Nex week should be a firecracker of sorts, however.

I'm calling it now. Lukus reviews To Catch a Thief next week.

 

[Lukus Alderman]

I'm calling it now. Lukus reviews To Catch a Thief next week.

Haven't seen it. Sounds boring.

 

[Lukus Alderman]

i'm on pins and needles

Your sarcasm doesn't get by me.

Be careful before I start reviewing country music.

Willie Nelson would be my first "artist"...you folks wouldn't be happy.

 

[Sirhornsalot]

I saw "Gravity" last night on Blu Ray. I was pleased with the original, unique storyline, one you just haven't seen before but probably thought about once or twice when thinking of the subject of outer space. It is intense, but highly thought provoking. I don't care for George Clooney, but he did well in this one despite his tendency to be too cute at times. The female lead, Sandra Bullock, knocked it out of the park. She was fabulous.

Story goes, US space team is performing routine repairs outside the space shuttle while orbiting earth. Some sort of debris storm passes and destroys the space shuttle and knocks our two stars into orbit. The rest is their attempt to get back to earth, using orbiting spacecraft from the Russia and also China - both of which they get to by propelling themselves through space.

I highly, highly recommend.

 

[joeywa]

I knew this one wouldn't get much attention since I'm not bashing a crappy popular movie. Nex week should be a firecracker of sorts, however.

I'm calling it now. Lukus reviews To Catch a Thief next week.

Haven't seen it. Sounds boring.

I'll help you out; 1955 Alfred Hitchcock classic starring Cary Grant and Grace Kelly. It has fireworks in it.

 

[Sirhornsalot]

Joeywa, what he really wants to know is whether or not it's animated. I'm afraid this is where you'll lose him.

 

[aowells]

- One of the best things about this film to me is that the actors portraying this northern family and a few outsiders aren't played by beautiful people.
- The one thing in the movie I wasn't a fan of is how the movie portrays his relationship with his three kids. This is a guy who is supposed to be an expert on parenting and his single parent family structure screams dysfunction.

-Juliette Binoche is a long time staple of those "most beautiful people" lists (my wife stocks the bathroom library...). She's nearly 50 and is still pretty hot. But they certainly didn't glam her up too much in this role which was appropriate.

-I've always assumed that people who write parenting books raise dysfunctional families. Certain things you just can't be good at without a lot of humility - and parenting is one. If you think you've solved parenting and feel the need to write a book, you can't possibly be defining success correctly.

Not a bad flick to watch with the wife though. Thanks for the review.

 

[SFlonghorngirl]

-Juliette Binoche is a long time staple of those "most beautiful people" lists (my wife stocks the bathroom library...). She's nearly 50 and is still pretty hot. But they certainly didn't glam her up too much in this role which was appropriate.

Actresses like her and Kate Winslet and Cate Blanchette are timeless and beautiful.

 

[Villain]

I really wanted to like Dan in Real Life more, but I felt like it just transitioned from one awkward situation to another. I like Carrell in the less silly roles, however. He was one of my favorite things about Little Miss Sunshine.