Dan in Real Life ***
Cast: Steve Carrell, Juliette Binoche, Mitch Burns, Dianne Wiest, John Mahoney, Emily Blunt, Alison Pill, Brittany Robertson, Marlene Lawston
Director: Peter Hedges
Running Length: 1:38
MPAA Classification: PG-13

Dan Burns (Carrell) writes advice columns and fiction. After his wife died, he raised their three girls by himself. Every year, the Burns family all gather at grandma and grandpa’s (Wiest and Mahoney) house for a family reunion. While at the bookstore, Dan meets Marie (Binoche). They hit it off, but eventually Marie has to leave to meet her boyfriend. Dan heads home to meet his brother’s (Cook) girlfriend, who happens to be Marie. Now they have to be in close proximity without letting on that they met and had an attraction. The secret gets harder and harder to keep and soon Dan must figure out how to tell his brother.

“Dan in Real Life” is a nice movie. It has laughs, but isn’t hilarious. The acting is good, but not great. Carrell is good at playing likeable characters, and “Dan in Real Life” is no exception. The family dynamic in the film is probably the film’s funniest aspect. “Dan in Real Life” will be enjoyed by most, but when its all over, it really hasn’t given you a whole lot. Still, I have to recommend it because I think it accomplishes what it sets out to do.

The Jane Austen Book Club ***
Cast: Maria Bello, Hugh Dancy, Kathy Baker, Emily Blunt, Amy Brenneman, Maggie Grace, Jimmy Smits, Marc Blucas, Kevin Zegers, Nancy Travis
Director: Robin Swicord
Running Length: 1:55
MPAA Classification: PG-13

Five women and one man decide to start a book club, reading the works of Jane Austen. Bernadette (Baker), the organizer of the club, is a woman looking to add one more to her many marriages. Jocelyn (Bello) is single and happy with her dogs. Sylvia (Brenneman) is in a failing marriage to Daniel (Smits). Allegra (Grace) is their lesbian daughter. Prudie (Blunt) is unhappily married, and attracted to one of her students. Lastly, there is Grigg (Dancy), a science fiction fan who is in the club because he is interested in Jocelyn. Their lives all contain elements that echo Jane Austen’s stories, so their choice of reading is appropriate.

“The Jane Austen Book Club” is a female bonding movie that will also appeal to fans of Jane Austen. The acting is capable, but nothing outstanding. There is a little of everything relationship-wise here, and all the stories are handled pretty well. Jocelyn and Grigg’s story is probably the most appealing though. To the story’s credit, knowledge of Jane Austen isn’t necessary, but it helps. In all fairness, the title of the film is going to draw in the appropriate audience, and they will probably enjoy it.