'Dan in Real Life' ... Oscar original song material?

No, the headline is not an overstatement, but it comes with deserved qualifiers.

"Dan in Real Life" is downright charming, a relatively short and subtle romantic comedy that takes a sitcom-like plot line and gives it emotional heft and storytelling surprises. "Dan's" Metacritic score at 65% "generally favorable" alongside Rotten Tomatoes 62% Tomatometer bears out some general positivity.

Directed by Peter Hedges, "Dan" has an easygoing humanity about it that seems like a rarity these days. In using an exaggerated set-up to portray -- by and large -- normal middle-class people dealing with normal adult issues it actually pulls off some winning ensemble moments.

First and foremost, "Dan" illustrates how a newfound love can make one, no matter how old, act like a drama-stuffed teenager, and Steve Carell is perfect in the role of regular-guy comedic lead.

But this isn't a film criticism blog, and LAT's Kenneth Turan already gave the film it's props over here. 

So, now, back to the headline I promised wasn't an exaggeration. Is the film really best picture material? Not really, but it's original music, composed by singer/songwriter Sondre Lerche, has something of a shot in the original song race.

Especially if crowds rally around this film, one or two of Lerche's songs get serious airplay, and the studio tracks down influential ears within Oscar's music branch.

To be honest, I have always found the critically-adored artist a bit too precious, and a bit too obvious. His work in "Dan in Real Life" only serves to further illustrate that, and the reason I believe he was the wrong choice to score what was such a smart film.

In fact, the music, in this writer's mind, is the film's only real weakness (although I'm in the minority, as people generally tend to like the kid).

One of the first big showcases for Lerche in the film is the tune "I'll Be Ok." It plays over an early moment of solitary depression for the main character (Carell's "Dan"). With its light piano flourishes and gently tapped guitar notes, the song is perfect coffee shop/dinner-party fodder. It also completely telegraph's the character's emotions rather than giving depth to them.

"Dan in Real Life" succeeds because it sneaks up on the viewer. It's a patiently-paced film dressed with light moments rather than laugh-out-loud ones. A song such as "I'll Be Ok" (listen here) isn't any deeper than its title implies, and too neatly wraps-up the emotion of its characters in a romantic comedy that keeps trying to lay them bare.

Lerche's other main showcase in the film is his new-love anthem "My Hands Are Shaking." It's a pleasant-enough ditty, but also easily forgettable, its sentiments of awkward nervousness are more perceptively handled by Carell and Juilette Binoche when their characters first meet in a bookstore, the film's best scene.

The song is all over the film's Web site, as is the whole soundtrack, so have a listen yourself, and let me know where you stand. Unless like Lerche, you're too twee.

(Photo courtesy Virgin Records)

Comments

[Freddie]

You guys ruin movies with your extended analysis. Painful review.

[mel]

You're a tard. The soundtrack is genius and is the best thing this movie offers. Lerche offers a feast for the ears.

[David]

What's the point of writing this review if you've already admitted that you don't like Lerche's music? Too obvious? Too precious? Are these supposed to be serious observations? Lerche is nothing short of a musical genius. Of course he deserves an Oscar Nomination. Sure, I know, it's hard out there for a pimp, Todd Martens, but in the future please don't take on writing assignments that you can't handle.