Dan In Real Life

Last night, the spousal unit and I took MiniMe and one of her friends to go see this movie. I intentionally did not read reviews because I knew I’d eventually see it and I wanted to go into viewing it open-minded.
First of all, the movie was clearly written so that you’d feel things from Dan’s perspective. I get that. It was hard to keep that focal point for me though, because I was sort of a character in that movie. I mostly was putting my emotions into a different channel because I am the “Anne Marie” that was Juliette Binoche’s character. I truly was “brought home” and introduced to my (then) boyfriend’s family, and spent tons of time with them reaching for a connection I’d lost for a time with my own. I was a thousand miles from my own family and friends. Although I really liked the guy, I didn’t love him. I did fall for a family member of his who really clicked with me on so many levels. Same sort of background, same tastes in movies and music, great sense of humor, attractive to me physically and mentally… he was the real deal cowboy from his Texas twang right down to his dusty boots. The more time I spent around him, the more clear it became to me that I had to sever my ties elsewhere.

I read the reviews for this movie after we got home and I don’t understand why it received so many unfavorable ones that mentioned the “cheesy” way the family interacted. It was called “unrealistic” and “out of touch”. It was written that there aren’t “real families that act that way”.
Well, yes there are. My side of the family (extended) has always done things extremely similar to the events in this movie. We perform skits to entertain each other, make up silly songs, share inside jokes, play games together, pick on each other playfully, yet we’re there for each other whole-heartedly if they need us to be. It may be cheesy and unrealistic, but it’s a fact that some people do have it. I do.
The greatest part about having that is that no matter what happens with whom, your family loves you and accepts you.
JL’s family is not like that. When I ended my relationship with the boyfriend, and let it be known that JL was the object of my affection, it destroyed his family ties. I wasn’t accepted by them at all. Ever again. To this day. And neither is he.
It’s a good thing I do have a cheesy unrealistic family that loves me so much because they love him, too. That’s what family does.
The thing in the movie “Dan in Real Life” that resonates loudest with me is the line; “I’ll forgive you your past, if you forgive me mine.” Sometimes you just need it. Sometimes you just need to give it. When that happens, it’s really good.