A harmless romantic comedy that begins to fall apart the second you start actually thinking about what you've just seen.
Steve Carell plays the single dad (the mom died of some unnamed illness) of three girls who intensely dislike him, who takes his daughters to a family reunion at his parents' idyllic cabin in Rhode Island. There he finds out that his brother's new girlfriend (the radiant Juliette Binoche) is the same mystery woman he previously met and instantly fell in love with at a bookstore when he ran out on an errand. The rest of the film involves him acting like a baby because he can't have her, his entire family being disgusted with his behavior, and him realizing that though he makes a living out of giving people advice about how to get their lives together (the title of the film refers to his newspaper column moniker), he can't do the same for himself.
The whole movie suffers the fate of many a romantic comedy in the same vein -- it's amiable, but rather limp. Too much of it feels forced. The screenplay can't allow Juliette Binoche to be a real woman -- she has to be a romantic comedy love interest, otherwise known as the Most Wonderful Woman God Ever Created. Events that would realistically play out over several weeks are crammed into a two- or three-day timespan. This is especially apparent and awkward in a late scene involving some newspaper executives who come to interview Dan about taking his column into syndication (they would really choose to come and meet with him while he's at a family reunion?) Dan's annoyingly perfect family has to share a group amphetamine addiction; otherwise there is no way to account for the manic energy they have (when they're not playing football or engaging in group exercise classes, they're planning talent shows). But mostly, and unfortunately, I thought the biggest flaw with the film was Carell himself. He moped to perfection in "Little Miss Sunshine," but he's just aggravating here. I think we're meant to feel charmed and a bit heartbroken at seeing this man act like a petulant teenager, but I just wanted to tell him to get it together.
The supporting cast is led by Dianne Wiest and John Mahoney as Dan's mom and dad, along with Dane Cook as his brother and Emily Blunt in a brief but memorable and sexy performance as a possible romantic alternative. However, everyone's talent is largely wasted.
This is one of those unoffensive, unchallenging and uninteresting movies that's designed to give family crowds something to do when they tire of their Christmas shopping.
Grade: B
Steve Carell plays the single dad (the mom died of some unnamed illness) of three girls who intensely dislike him, who takes his daughters to a family reunion at his parents' idyllic cabin in Rhode Island. There he finds out that his brother's new girlfriend (the radiant Juliette Binoche) is the same mystery woman he previously met and instantly fell in love with at a bookstore when he ran out on an errand. The rest of the film involves him acting like a baby because he can't have her, his entire family being disgusted with his behavior, and him realizing that though he makes a living out of giving people advice about how to get their lives together (the title of the film refers to his newspaper column moniker), he can't do the same for himself.
The whole movie suffers the fate of many a romantic comedy in the same vein -- it's amiable, but rather limp. Too much of it feels forced. The screenplay can't allow Juliette Binoche to be a real woman -- she has to be a romantic comedy love interest, otherwise known as the Most Wonderful Woman God Ever Created. Events that would realistically play out over several weeks are crammed into a two- or three-day timespan. This is especially apparent and awkward in a late scene involving some newspaper executives who come to interview Dan about taking his column into syndication (they would really choose to come and meet with him while he's at a family reunion?) Dan's annoyingly perfect family has to share a group amphetamine addiction; otherwise there is no way to account for the manic energy they have (when they're not playing football or engaging in group exercise classes, they're planning talent shows). But mostly, and unfortunately, I thought the biggest flaw with the film was Carell himself. He moped to perfection in "Little Miss Sunshine," but he's just aggravating here. I think we're meant to feel charmed and a bit heartbroken at seeing this man act like a petulant teenager, but I just wanted to tell him to get it together.
The supporting cast is led by Dianne Wiest and John Mahoney as Dan's mom and dad, along with Dane Cook as his brother and Emily Blunt in a brief but memorable and sexy performance as a possible romantic alternative. However, everyone's talent is largely wasted.
This is one of those unoffensive, unchallenging and uninteresting movies that's designed to give family crowds something to do when they tire of their Christmas shopping.
Grade: B