I'm a Steve Carell fan. I quite enjoyed Evan Almighty. Although, I wasn't that crazy about 40-Year-Old Virgin. As Dan in real life, Carell is a much quieter version of himself – sort of a like the subtler side that Will Ferrell showed in Stranger than Fiction.

Steve's performance here is solid. In fact, the whole cast right down to the supporting characters come to real life. And kudos to the direction -- it's not easy to get a bunch of actors together in a coastal home and make them feel like real family. Well done. Moreover, most of the production is top notch. After the first 20 minutes, I thought I might be watching one of the best films of the year. Then comes the painful flaw.

As not to spoil, I'll write in generalities. The first major complication/twist surprised me as a bit soapy, but given the high quality thus far, I trusted the production to impress me despite. Instead, it disappointed me with the cliché B-movie response to that complication -- the classic "keep a secret that so obviously can't be kept" method of entertainment. Maybe it's me. But I detest this method of creating a silly tension that's supposed to carry the viewer through the bulk of a creative piece. Nor, can even Carell spin it in a new light. The film's momentum stalls up to and including a rather weak climax and even weaker resolution.

It's a pity the plot sank this ship. There was so much working so well here.

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