marie represent you be smooth . dan represent no and i be not smooth . i be dan . if youre anything like me and smooth and single do not go together . you see someone you like and rare enough a that can be and and you want to say something but you do not . or maybe you do say something but it end up be perhaps the least intelligent thing you have ever say in your life . more often then not though and you stare from afar and admire without have to deal with take that which most agree be the only way to get anywhere in life a risk . you can not blame a guy for be a little frightened though . maybe he be burn hard before or maybe he try to focus all his energy on his career . there be reason and some valid and some not and and all of them can be interpret a excuse rather than reason . you tell yourself you do not need it or it isn not the right time for you but you still wish it be happen . any way you break it down and it not easy . sound familiar . if you think yes even just a little and then dan in real life and the new comedy from director peter hedge and be a must see . it will reach inside of you and somehow manage to both break and warm your heart all at once . the dan from the title be dan burn ( steve carell ) and an advice columnist who be admire for his insight into live a balanced and fulfilling and morally uplifting life . four year or so before the film open on dan wake up to his day and he lose his wife and love of his life . after that tragedy and dan be leave to raise their three daughter alone . between that and focus on his career and find love again be not one of dan priority . and so he become more functional than feel . remove from the power of intimacy and dan no longer know what it mean to be that close to someone and have resign himself to never know that again . that be and until he meet marie ( juliette binoche ) in a book and tackle shop in connecticut on a quiet morning . theyre interaction be casual and comfortable and it catch both of them off guard . there be only one problem really . she be already see someone . unfortunately for all involve and that someone be dan brother and mitch ( dane cook ) . his entire family have come up to their parent country home for their yearly visit and dan must now spend the weekend pining and yearning for the fleeting feeling he have with marie that morning . it only last an hour or so but it only take that long to awaken dan heart from it coma . with so many family member to deal with ( jack mahoney and dianne wiest be at the helm ) and dan in real life do drift away from it grander purpose from time to time . while the cyclone of kid and parent and aunt and uncle make for try time for dan and hedge also use it unnecessarily a a mean to distract and with the presumption that it would ultimately make for a more complete film . luckily and hedge have get carell to carry the heavy burden . it be a pleasure to watch steve carell come into his own more and more with every picture he make ( despite the occasional evan almighty size misstep ) . he be charismatic and charming and obviously a sharp humorist . a dan and he be also self deprecating and awkward and scar . carell be the rare comedian who push himself to find character in his role rather than rely solely on his comedic instinct and establish persona . perhaps more importantly and he be entirely relatable a dan . whether he flop down on the cot in the laundry room where he be subject to sleep a the only single adult at this reunion or fidget around the kitchen and unable to stan d still in his anxiety and dan be every guy who have even be unsure of himself and felt alone in the crowd . carell give dan so much heart that he become the heart of the film itself at the same time . i wonder after see the film if i enjoy the it as much a i do and despite it slight shortcoming ( juliette binoche i know you might like to lighten up every now and then but i do not recommend it unless there be chocolate involve ) and because of where i be in my life . would someone who have find that someone else derive a much meaning and comfort from this film . i can not say . what i can say and a someone who know what it mean to be lonely and dan in real life know what it mean to be surprise by life and love and how these moment and people need to be appreciate and cherish . it also know that anyone who might be feel lonely on any give day or for month at a time need to be remind that surprise still happen .