Dan (Steve Carell) is an advice columnist who lost his wife a few years ago and is raising three daughters on his own. He goes to a family gathering and his mum makes him get away for a bit. While getting the papers he runs in to a woman, Marie (Juliette Binoche), who he instantly clicks with. Unfortunately she’s seeing someone. His brother (Dane Cook).
Hilarity insues. Well, that’s how it’s billed. This is billed as a flat out comedy, possibly partly because of the two main leads. And its part of the reason that the film doesn’t QUITE hit the mark in the way the directors last effort, Pieces of April, did. It’s a little bit too light.
Ironically the other problem it has is that it’s a bit tough to watch at times. Dan being tortured by his feelings for Marie, and some vice versa, are kind of heart breaking. It’s very realistic and generally the emotions and how they worked are played right, but its bad enough living through that kind of crap.
Carell is on great form here. It’s not typical goofy Office Carell, and its not full on indie Little Miss Sunshine Carell, it’s somewhere in between. He’s funny at times but not in the usual idiot way. But he plays a great range of emotion here too.
Binoche is….well she’s pretty adorable and easy to fall for. I haven’t seen her in much yet but if I’m right in thinking this is kind of the role she plays most of the time.
And I said it before, but I actually like Dane Cook. People generally seem to think he’s a dick, I happen to think he’s a damned fine comedic actor who has actual range outside of comedy. I think he could end up being a bit of a breakthrough guy. I’ve yet to see him playing someone who isn’t at least a bit of a full of himself over confident dude, and I’d like to, but I’m impressed so far.
The supporting adults are all fine, Frasier’s dad stalked in to this one from a few days ago. There is a bit of a let down in the cast with Dan’s daughters. They are fine enough actors and everything, the littlest especially, but the middle girl who I think is 14 is just a giant pain in the ass for 95% of her screen time. And it gets old. Real old. That might be realism, and it does highlight a point about how we never really get smart about love no matter what we might think when we’re older. I get the comparison that we’re all basically hormonal teenagers some of the time. But there must have been a less annoying way to do it.
This is a good family, and by that I mean portraying one, film. And it’s a not bad (I assume) light indie. But it’s too light. Or not light enough. It slots in to the weird middle area. Decent rent or TV watch, but it won’t be making any favourites lists of mine.
Did nearly cry at one scene towards the end though. Because I’m a big pussy.
Next up: Superbad
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment