We follow a widower, Dan (Steve Carell), who writes a column for the newspaper where he responds to peoples letters and gives his feelings on their problems. He is taking his three daughters all the way to his parents’ home for the weekend for a big family weekend together. While back home he meets this woman, Marie (Juliette Binoche), in a book store and begins to remember what it feels like to be infatuated by another person, only to find out that she is his brother, Mitch’s (Dane Cook), girlfriend. So we get to watch this train wreck waiting to happen, as Dan attempts to spend this weekend not falling in love with Marie and at the same time survive in this huge family heavy household.

Now I’m not a huge fan of Dane Cook or Steve Carell movies, even though I do like them individually. I remember when I was introduced to Dane Cook with his monopoly joke… HILARIOUS, and Steve Carell on The Daily Show with John Stewart. However, every movie that these two have played a leading role in has just not done it for me. However, Steve Carell is really good in this movie, Dane Cook is not. Every moment Dane Cook takes the lead, I begin to hate the movie. I am just happy that he takes the lead for about fifteen to twenty minutes so it is somewhat bearable. For the rest of the movie it is pretty good with a good mix of Carell awkwardness and some real messed up scenarios humour.

The story is nothing inspirational or even original. You can sit down watching the movie, and after the first fifteen minutes you will know exactly what will happen in the movie (except the whole your brother’s girlfriend bit). I do like how the daughters’ grievances about their father at the beginning all come to the surface at the end of the film. It really is a bare bones family film with some humour about itself, talks about parenting and the tough things you must do from time to time to try and be a good parent (or what is thought to be a good parent).

My favourite part of the movie has to be hands down the soundtrack. I never do talk about how I feel about movies and soundtracks. I always think it is the toughest thing to get right with a movie. Especially when you’re using various songs, imagine for a second being in a theatre watching a scene (without any soundtrack) then watching it again with one song, then another and then another. It must make it so difficult to pick one sometimes. However they got Sondre Lerche (never heard of him and will be checking out some of his music before the weekend is out) to do the soundtrack for this movie and it works so well, some great tracks and I love even more the instrumentals, if you like indie guitar like a Decemberists you will more than likely enjoy this guy.

Overall I think the movie a good rent. But be warned DANE COOK IS IN THIS MOVIE.

IMDB says 7.1/10

Rotten Tomatoes says 65%

I say 6.7/10