OK, so Steve Carell just lost the Emmy (again), but now he's aiming at the Golden Globes and, egad, the Oscars for "Dan in Real Life."

Carell's role is pure Globes bait for that comedy/musical category, but Edward Douglas of Comingsoon.net tells Gold Derby he thinks that Carell even has "a shot" at an Oscar bid: "His performance falls somewhere between '40 Year Old Virgin' and 'Little Miss Sunshine'— not completely comedic but funny and touching," says "Essentially, he's a widower, father of three, single and he gives one of the more well-rounded performances of his career. I was worried because the trailer doesn't look great — like a cheesy rom-com, but it has far more depth than that. (It's directed by Peter Hedges of 'Pieces of April,' in case you didn't know.)"

"Dan" is co-written and directed by Oscar-nominated screenwriter Peter Hedges ("About A Boy").

Photo: Carell falls for past Oscar champ Juliette Binoche while browsing in a bookstore, not realizing that she's his brother's galpal. (Focus/ Touchstone)