Read More @HJ Reviews: Family Values for the Real World Darrel Manson Testing the Depths of Love Tom Price It's Nice To Have Family Yo Previews: Pro-Family & Family Friendly, By Design Greg Wright Spiritual Articles: Spiritual Connections (5 vids) By David Bruce, Webmaster

Leaving the theater after viewing Dan In Real Life, I wanted to go home and call my family just to tell them how much I love and appreciate them. That’s what this film does to you; it makes you appreciate family, and I’d have to say that’s about the best thing I’ve seen a film do in a long, long time.

While there’s sure to be a lot of hoopla about Steve Carell’s dramatic turn in Dan In Real Life, and certainly the kudos are well deserved, I think the real star of this movie is family. The Burns family in Dan In Real Life is a family that reminds me a lot of my own, hence my emotional state after the movie. The Burnses like each other, they enjoy each other, and most importantly they love each other. Most movies today that touch on the subject of family use some sort of dysfunction to make them interesting or funny. Either that, or they toss in some sort of edgy character like an uncle who drinks too much, a cousin who’s addicted to sex, or a child that loves to swear. There isn’t anyone like that in Dan In Real Life. Instead, you have a family that’s caring and kind to each other and functions well together. Some may say that’s either not interesting or just too good to be true. I say it’s a refreshing reminder that in today’s society a strong family is more essential to help heal the hurts of life than ever before.

Of course not everyone will feel as sentimental about family as I did after seeing Dan In Real Life. In fact, some may feel rather bitter about it because their family experience is nothing like the Burns’. They may feel that a loving family that functions well together is practicaly science fiction in today’s world; and our culture certainly seems to be pushing to make it that way. They may feel that family is the source of more hurt than it is of healing. I’m sorry if that’s the case, but I also offer some hope. Regardless of what your family may be like, I can assure that there’s a family you can be apart of that will never reject you, always love, always be there to help you, and even be there to lovingly correct you. It’s the family of God, and it’s always open to new members. Of course, most people don’t want anything to do with the church, but that’s not what I’m talking about. I’m talking about being a child of an Almighty God, not just being a member of a church. I’m talking about having God as your loving father. We all have a need to be loved and cared for. That need was created in us by God, so who better than he to fulfill it? You want to experience what true family is like? Let God adopt you as his son or daughter and discover the real meaning of the word family.

Perhaps the most surprising aspect of Dan In Real Life is the fact that it’s rated PG-13. I can think of a handful of PG films that are far more deserving of PG-13 than this one. Don’t let the rating fool you. This isn’t yet another edgy, dysfunctional family drama. This is a loving portrait of what family should and can be. Yes, there is hurt, but there’s also love that heals. Yes there are awkward moments, but there’s also love to soothe. Yes, there are dark moments, but there’s also the bright love of family commitment. As Peter Hedges has so aptly pointed out, this a film about adults that even children can enjoy. It’s moving, funny, touching, uplifting, thought-provoking, and heartwarming. It is the most PG feeling PG-13 movie I have ever seen.

It’s rare that I’m so stirred by a movie any more these days, and after the desensitizing, over-stimulating, hyper-active summer we just had, it’s almost uncomfortable to sit in on a quiet family drama. But Dan In Real Life is moving, and not in a cheap and manipulative way. You can sense the sincere desire emanating from the screen for viewers to cherish family, to learn to forgive, to help in times of pain, to laugh at all the awkward, funny, ironic moments that come from being a family. Go see this movie. Go see it with your family. And when you do so, remember to cherish your loved ones, or if you come a family where love is a rare commodity, always remember that special family you can be a part of when you come to Jesus Christ. Family is precious. Family that will last for eternity is a gift not to be taken for granted.