When I first saw the spots for this picture, I was intrigued to see this hilarious-looking heart-warming comedy about a single father advice columnist trying to raise his 3 daughters. Awkward parenting situations leading to professional conflicts were well on their way.
Then I saw this picture, and it started off fine... Until Dan left his REAL LIFE and went to his parents' home where an exchange of significant-sibling-others takes place (sound familiar?). It's The Family Stone all over again, plain and simple. And anyone who thinks this film has anything to do with Dan's real life clearly either doesn't have a family or lives with their family (or most importantly, doesn't celebrate holidays with family they love but still rarely see).
More examples of a lack of real life? Dan's profession has practically nothing to do with the film. We see him typing up a column in the beginning, he mentions it a couple of times, there's the meeting, he talks about how he doesn't follow a column that I was not led to believe he could write, and that's about it. We never really hear any of the column, or him give any advice really. I really don't believe his column could even be that good from what this film gave me.
Then there's Dane Cook. I like Dane Cook, I think he's hilarious. But he appears once in the spots, so I figure it's like "Waiting..." where his plays a minor character in Dan's Real Life. But it turns out he plays a MAJOR roll in Dan's vacation, ensuing the Family Stone dynamic.
More false advertising continues when a scene in which his daughter his behind the wheel and a fun, hilarious driver's ed scene appears. This scene is a part of Dan's real life, and is therefor nowhere to be found in the final cut.
In short, there are many funny and heart-warmingly awkward moments, but if you enter expecting a struggling man dealing with the trials and tribulations of his real life and being a single father, you will be sorely disappointed. If you enter expecting a family-based romantic comedy that mirrors The Family Stone in more ways than one, you will enjoy this film very much.
Then I saw this picture, and it started off fine... Until Dan left his REAL LIFE and went to his parents' home where an exchange of significant-sibling-others takes place (sound familiar?). It's The Family Stone all over again, plain and simple. And anyone who thinks this film has anything to do with Dan's real life clearly either doesn't have a family or lives with their family (or most importantly, doesn't celebrate holidays with family they love but still rarely see).
More examples of a lack of real life? Dan's profession has practically nothing to do with the film. We see him typing up a column in the beginning, he mentions it a couple of times, there's the meeting, he talks about how he doesn't follow a column that I was not led to believe he could write, and that's about it. We never really hear any of the column, or him give any advice really. I really don't believe his column could even be that good from what this film gave me.
Then there's Dane Cook. I like Dane Cook, I think he's hilarious. But he appears once in the spots, so I figure it's like "Waiting..." where his plays a minor character in Dan's Real Life. But it turns out he plays a MAJOR roll in Dan's vacation, ensuing the Family Stone dynamic.
More false advertising continues when a scene in which his daughter his behind the wheel and a fun, hilarious driver's ed scene appears. This scene is a part of Dan's real life, and is therefor nowhere to be found in the final cut.
In short, there are many funny and heart-warmingly awkward moments, but if you enter expecting a struggling man dealing with the trials and tribulations of his real life and being a single father, you will be sorely disappointed. If you enter expecting a family-based romantic comedy that mirrors The Family Stone in more ways than one, you will enjoy this film very much.