Dan in Real Life, written and directed by Peter Hedges, with Steve Carell, Juliette Binoche, the other writer: Pierce Gardner

Dan in Real Life, written and directed by Peter Hedges, with Steve Carell, Juliette Binoche, the other writer: Pierce Gardner

8 out of 10

-          This is a Look Through a Glass Brightly at this comedy, using a Positive Psychology lens as much as possible

-          We have within Dealing With Adversity and Trauma, Humor, signature Strengths that are part of the paraphernalia of

-          The Science of Happiness

-          Dan Burns aka Dan in Real Life is played by Steve Carell, who gives a strong performance reminding one of:

-          Foxcatcher, Little Miss Sunshine and other

-          Outstanding roles that have been the work of a formidable actor

-          Dan is a widower and he has three daughters that he needs to take care of and it is no easy task

-          I have only one and find that overwhelming at times…what am I saying – at all times, but then I am not Dan

-          One of the daughters, and not even the eldest, Jane, but Cara is in love- she says- with a colleague

-          I thought Dan was correct in considering this feeling just an infatuation, but I could be wrong and old fashioned

-          The plot centers on Dan meeting with Marie

-          Marie is played by the beautiful, talented and charming Juliette Binoche

-          Alas, the fact that when they meet they have what the French would call a “coup de foudre” does not help

-          Not for a good while anyway

-          Marie and Dan meet in a library and they talk about books and they find that they are not just attracted to each other

-          There is also an important meeting of minds and souls that have matching interests and this is heaven

-          One would think

-          But Marie is dating Mitch at the time when she has found Dan

-          And Mitch is…Dan’s brother

-          There follows a part of the film wherein comedy takes over, or maybe I should say tragicomedy

-          If we look at it from Dan and Marie’s point of view, this is an impossible situation, the worst case scenario…

-          Hero and heroine want to be together, but he cannot cause his brother’s turmoil and unhappiness

-          This is where Character Strengths and virtues come into evidence, as identified by Martin Seligman

-          Both the heroine and the hero show that they have:

-          Integrity, Persistence, Vitality, Bravery, Kindness, Appreciation of Excellence, Gratitude, Hope…

-          And there is more:

-          Humor, Self- regulation, Prudence, Mercy, Fairness, Perspective, Love of Learning, Open-mindedness

-          Almost All the Signature Strengths are at play!!

-          This is because we have here extraordinary people…well, fictional ones evidently, that are near perfection

-          Once in a while they act in a silly manner

-          Often it is the circumstances- the matrix they have to work within presupposes a sacrifice for the brother

-          But they love each other

-          When Dan comes to talk to the woman he loves, in the bathroom, as this is one of the few places offering intimacy…

-          One of his daughters comes to talk to Marie, who is so much appreciated by the whole family…up to a point…and then again

-          I wanted to talk to you…says the daughter

-          All right…

-          But you said you were going to take a shower

-          Oh yes…

And to keep appearances, Marie undresses, enters naked in the shower, where Dan had been already hiding…

Fully dressed, but with a lot of water pouring down on him…

A lovely romantic comedy