Head games

By Borys Kit

Most of the people I've talked to don't like the Steve-Carell's-head-in-a-pancake poster for Touchstone's "Dan In Real Life." What does it mean? Is he trying to get some sleep? Is he serene? Is he overwhelmed? I've heard a more than a few iterations. But is does have at least one fan, the movie's writer-director Peter Hedges.

"What I'm really pleased with is what the poster isn't," said Hedges. "It's not a bunch of faces. We had thousands of attempts for poster and this one, for me, caught your eye." Hedges adds "the marketing is a real challenge because we live in a culture and a time where everything has to scream and grab, and this film is a human comedy," which don't scream and grab. "This film straddles so many genres, it is difficult in a short burst to communicate the fullness of it."

It's hard to see the current Disney regime making this kind of film, and it initially didn't. The film was begun when Nina Jacobson, who sought to develop relationships with filmmakers, was still president of production. The "Dan" mantle was then thankfully picked up by current topper Oren Aviv. Which is why at the movie's Wednesday night premiere, Hedges thanked past and present Disney administrations.

The movie is a pretty safe bet for Disney, which partnered with Focus Features on the film, splitting the movie's $24 million cost 50-50 and distribution rights domestically and internationally, respectively. The movie is looking like it'll make a decent $10 to $12 million in its opening weekend.

Read THR's review of "Dan in Real Life"
Watch Steve Carrel discuss the film

Comments

[George]

One of the best things about it is that it has a great sense of location. Steve Carell’s best film performance to date can be found in the fitfully engaging Dan In Real Life.