Find Movies & TV
Home
Live TV
On Demand
Discover
Explore
Movies & TV Shows
Most Popular
Leaving Soon
Categories
Action
Animation
Comedy
Crime
Descriptive Audio
Documentary
Drama
En Español
Horror
Music
Romance
Sci-Fi
Thriller
Western
Explore
Browse Channels
Featured Channels
Stargate by MGM
Hallmark Movies & More
The First 48 by A&E
Categories
Hit TV
Drama TV
True Crime
Comedy
News
Sports
Reality
History & Science
Movies
Sci-Fi & Action
Classic TV
Food & Home
Lifestyle
Nature & Travel
Daytime TV
Game Shows
Kids & Family
Anime+
Chills & Thrills
International
En Español
Music
Sign In
Dan in Real Life
Directed by
Peter Hedges
PG-13
2007
1h 38m
Comedy
,
Drama
,
and more
6.8
65%
69%
Add to Watchlist
Single father Dan Burns dedicates his life to his children, but one day he meets Marie at a bookstore. They get to know each other, but then Dan finds out that Marie is actually dating his brother, Mitch.
More
Where to Watch Dan in Real Life
Disney+
Subscription
Amazon Video
Rent $3.79
Buy $17.79
Apple TV
Rent $3.99
Buy $17.99
+3 more
Cast of Dan in Real Life
Steve Carell
Dan
Juliette Binoche
Marie
Dane Cook
Mitch
Alison Pill
Jane
Britt Robertson
Cara
Marlene Lawston
Lilly
Dianne Wiest
Nana
John Mahoney
Poppy
Emily Blunt
Ruthie Draper
Amy Ryan
Eileen
Norbert Leo Butz
Clay
Jessica Hecht
Amy
Frank Wood
Howard
Henry Priest Miller
Will
Ella Miller
Rachel
CJ Adams
Elliot
Jessica Lussier
Jessica
Seth D'Antuono
Gus
Margot Janson
Olivia
Willa Cuthrell-Tuttleman
Bella
Felipe Dieppa
Marty Barasco
Matthew Morrison
Policeman
Bernie McInerney
James Lamson
Amy Landecker
Cindy Lamson
Steve Mellor
Bookstore Clerk
Pauline Gregory
Bowling Alley Manager
Shana Carr
Suzanne Burns
Nicole Morin
Jane (age 13)
Charlotte Davies
Cara (age 11)
Zoe Pauliks
Lilly (age 4)
Lucas Hedges
Lilly's Dance Partner
Sondre Lerche
Himself
Kato Ådland
The Faces Down Wedding Band (Guitar)
Ole Ludvig Krüger
The Faces Down Wedding Band (Drums)
Morten Skage
The Faces Down Wedding Band (Bass)
Marci Occhino
Wedding Singer
John Franchi
NYC Cabbie (uncredited)
Peter Hedges
Director / Writer
Pierce Gardner
Writer
Jonathan Shestack
Producer
Brad Epstein
Producer
Dan in Real Life Ratings & Reviews
Eric Bakke
January 26, 2025
Severely underrated—an endearing romantic comedy with authentic characters and heartwarming family dynamics. It strikes the perfect balance between humor and emotional depth, making it a genuinely refreshing watch.
MSNBC
Alonso Duralde
Alas, [Hedges'] forays behind the camera with Pieces of April and now Dan in Real Life indicate he's got Sundance intentions but a Hallmark Channel soul.
CNN.com
Paul Clinton (CNN.com)
This is his [Carell's] most assured and rounded performance to date.
TIME Magazine
Richard Corliss
Now, everybody knows that Steve Carell is lovable.
New York Press
Eric Kohn
Astonishingly effective.
Ebert & Roeper
Richard Roeper
It's a nice film. There's some nice touches to it.
UGO
Brian Tallerico
"Dan in Only-in-the-Movies Life" would have been an awkwardly long title, but it would have been a lot more appropriate.
MovieFreak.com
Sara Michelle Fetters
The writing here is as honest as any I've experienced this year, the script a continuous symphony of all of life's numerous bells and whistles that continually keep us all coming back for more.
USA Today
Claudia Puig
Why must so many family-friendly romantic comedies give us such wan, forgettable dialogue and predictable situations? Dan is derivative at best, and feels like filmmaking by focus group at worst.
Seattle Times
Ted Fry
Carell plays it fairly straight in a movie that hits high on the scales of comedy and romance, with just a dollop of dramatic reality. It's almost as if he were playing, well, real life.
San Francisco Chronicle
Mick LaSalle
Dan in Real Life fires on so many circuits that at times it's actually shocking how good it is. It tells a funny and emotional story without any of the sentimental shorthand found in most romantic comedies.
New York Post
Kyle Smith
One character says she's looking for something 'not necessarily hahaha laugh-out-loud funny, something human funny,' and that's what we get.
New York Daily News
Elizabeth Weitzman
Sweet it is. Remotely connected to real life, however, it is not.
Los Angeles Times
Kenneth Turan
If what you want is a star-driven sophisticated romantic comedy that is successfully aimed at actual adults, the wait can seem like forever. Until now.
Detroit News
Tom Long
The previews make Dan in Real Life look like a tepid romantic comedy that makes little use of Steve Carell's gifts. Well, the previews are right.
Detroit Free Press
Terry Lawson
Hedges is not the most subtle of storytellers, but his sincerity shines through, as does a certain gentleness. Dan in Real Life is one of those films you cheer to succeed, even when it doesn't come close to real life.
Associated Press
David Germain
A surprisingly plain, sappy, even insipid comedy, considering the filmmaker behind it.
Dallas Morning News
Chris Vognar
Dan in Real Life is an enjoyable if curious creature, a naturalistic ensemble comedy wed to a high-flown sitcom premise. It's infused with a warm optimism that prevails even through the drama's thornier patches.
Boston Globe
Ty Burr
Dan in Real Life lacks the nerve of genuine storytelling. It's for moviegoers who would have preferred Little Miss Sunshine if that movie hadn't been so gosh-darn dark.
Chicago Sun-Times
Roger Ebert
There are some loud moments and big laughs.
Watch Dan in Real Life Videos
Dan In Real Life
Dan In Real Life
Trailer
Take Plex everywhere
Watch free anytime, anywhere, on almost any device.
See the full list of supported devices
Home
Live TV
On Demand
Discover
