 "Welcome to the magic world of ponies..." |
| Review Date: October 1, 2007 |
| Reviewer: H. Bala, Carson - hey, we have an IKEA store! - CA USA |
This isn't a new premise, of course, the one about men (or women) whose lives are upended when they're unexpectedly saddled with a kid. Off the top of my head, I'd seen this particular plot in films like THE BAD NEWS BEARS, THREE MEN AND A BABY, BIG DADDY, RAISING HELEN, A SIMPLE TWIST OF FATE, SIX PACK, and BABY BOOM. When done right, it's a pretty rewarding premise. Disney's newest family picture, THE GAME PLAN, does it right.
Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson plays Joe Kingman, a tough-as-nails but self-absorbed NFL superstar quarterback and the sporting toast of Boston. All is gravy-breezy for Joe as he relishes his bachelor lifestyle, the riches, and fame. But then his world is rocked by the out-of-the-blue arrival of Peyton (Madison Pettis), an 8-year-old daughter he never knew he had. With the decision made to have Peyton temporarily stay with him but with lucrative endorsements enticingly on the horizon, Joe's hardnosed agent Stella (Kyra Sedgwick) urges him to keep the news of his fatherhood a secret for now.
This results in the sophisticated-for-a-durn-kid Peyton extorting ballet classes out of Joe. The ballet teacher is played by lovely actress Roselyn Sanchez, who doesn't recognize Joe and talks him into not only participating in ballet class but also being part of an upcoming play, in which he'll play a tree. With his team the Boston Rebels hard charging towards a championship season, Joe finds himself juggling fatherhood with his gridiron profession and straying from his erstwhile carefree lifestyle. How will it turn out? (hint: this is a Disney film).
Yessir, THE GAME PLAN trots out a predictable story. But it's a lot of fun, and that trumps all the cliches. The Rock in a cute movie? Absolutely true. I just got back from a special screening of this film and it proved to be the perfect solution to a rain-plagued Saturday night. This is the Rock's first collaboration with Disney and it's a touchdown (feel free to groan). And, what's more, he's got another Disney film in the works (WITCH MOUNTAIN, reteaming him with THE GAME PLAN director Andy Fickman).
The Rock is the featured star but he gets capable assists from a willing supporting cast boasting the likes of Kyra Sedgwick, Morris Chestnut, and Roselyn Sanchez. Madison Pettis is a natural talent and shines as the very smart, classical music-inclined Peyton, deftly handling her wealth of lines and managing to avoid the child actor landmine of being coy and sickeningly cute.
But, make no mistake, it's Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson's natural charisma which makes it all work. Whether he belongs with a serious script is yet undetermined, although he did very well in GRIDIRON GANG. But it's in the comedy or comedy-action films that he's speedily reached a comfort level. To me, a key is that, while he seems to take his cinematic career seriously, he's not averse to poking fun at his image, much in the mold of Arnold in KINDERGARTEN COP and TWINS. This trait is never more in the spotlight than in this film as he suffers the ignominy of having his daughter dress up his dog Spike in a tutu and even poisoning him with a cookie ("Thinammon? I'm allergic to thinammon!"). One of the funniest moments in the film, by the way, happens during the allergy sequence as Joe attempts to press on with his television spot promos ("Boston Rebels - expewience tha heat!").
Too, the Rock takes advantage of Joe's quirky combination of fastidiousness and machismo to mine laughter from the audience. On one hand, he listens to Elvis and is a neat freak (he doesn't like fingerprints on his fridge). On the other hand, God help you if you don't use napkins and coasters in his crib. And to further punctuate his cluelessness with the state of fatherhood, he relates to Peyton in terms of football playcalling and acts much like a baby himself. The Rock is a natural at all this, handling the comedy elements with ease and dexterity. His athleticism and sheer physical presence are always assets, but, coming in particularly handy for this film is his football background - he was a defensive tackle on the 1991 NCAA football champs, the Miami Hurricanes. For his acting craft, he did suffer a ruptured Achilles tendon (a fairly common sports injury) during the filming of this picture. How's that for method acting?
The Rock has moved past the flavor of the month and firmly into the category of a leading action star who's here to stay. I'm not exactly sure how his next project'll work out (I did like the original ESCAPE TO WITCH MOUNTAIN), but I hear that SHAZAM! is around the corner. But all that's in the future. For now, THE GAME PLAN is here and I expect it'll carve hefty inroads into the box office receipts. So, yes, definitely, go check this one out. You probably won't see the Rock lisp again in cinema.
|
"Welcome to the magical world of ponies..."
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| Review Date: September 23, 2007 |
| Reviewer: H. Bala, Carson - hey, we have an IKEA store! - CA USA |
This isn't a new premise, of course, the one about men (or women) whose lives are upended when they're unexpectedly saddled with a kid. Off the top of my head, I'd seen this particular plot in films like The Bad News Bears, Three Men and a Baby, Big Daddy, Raising Helen (Widescreen Edition), A Simple Twist of Fate, Six Pack, and Baby Boom. When done right, it's a pretty rewarding premise. Disney's newest family picture, THE GAME PLAN, does it right.
Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson plays Joe Kingman, a tough-as-nails but self-absorbed NFL superstar quarterback and the sporting toast of Boston. All is gravy-breezy for Joe as he relishes his bachelor lifestyle, the riches, and fame. But then his world is rocked by the out-of-the-blue arrival of Peyton (Madison Pettis), an 8-year-old daughter he never knew he had. With the decision made to have Peyton temporarily stay with him but with lucrative endorsements enticingly on the horizon, Joe's hardnosed agent Stella (Kyra Sedgwick) urges him to keep the news of his fatherhood a secret for now.
This results in the sophisticated-for-a-durn-kid Peyton extorting ballet classes out of Joe. The ballet teacher is played by lovely actress Roselyn Sanchez, who doesn't recognize Joe and talks him into not only participating in ballet class but also being part of an upcoming play, in which he'll play a tree. With his team the Boston Rebels hard charging towards a championship season, Joe finds himself juggling fatherhood with his gridiron profession and straying from his erstwhile carefree lifestyle. How will it turn out? (hint: this is a Disney film).
Yessir, THE GAME PLAN trots out a predictable story. But it's a lot of fun, and that trumps all the cliches. The Rock in a cute movie? Absolutely true. I just got back from a special screening of this film and it proved to be the perfect solution to a rain-plagued Saturday night. This is the Rock's first collaboration with Disney and it's a touchdown (feel free to groan). And, what's more, he's got another Disney film in the works (WITCH MOUNTAIN, reteaming him with THE GAME PLAN director Andy Fickman).
The Rock is the featured star but he gets capable assists from a willing supporting cast boasting the likes of Kyra Sedgwick, Morris Chestnut, and Roselyn Sanchez. Madison Pettis is a natural talent and shines as the very smart, classical music-inclined Peyton, deftly handling her wealth of lines and managing to avoid the child actor landmine of being coy and sickeningly cute.
But, make no mistake, it's Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson's natural charisma which makes it all work. Whether he belongs with a serious script is yet undetermined, although he did very well in GRIDIRON GANG. But it's in the comedy or comedy-action films that he's speedily reached a comfort level. To me, a key is that, while he seems to take his cinematic career seriously, he's not averse to poking fun at his image, much in the mold of Arnold in Kindergarten Cop and Twins. This trait is never more in the spotlight than in this film as he suffers the ignominy of having his daughter dress up his dog Spike in a tutu and even poisoning him with a cookie ("Thinammon? I'm allergic to thinammon!"). One of the funniest moments in the film, by the way, happens during the allergy sequence as Joe attempts to press on with his television spot promos ("Boston Rebels - expewience tha heat!").
Too, the Rock takes advantage of Joe's quirky combination of fastidiousness and machismo to mine laughter from the audience. On one hand, he listens to Elvis and is a neat freak (he doesn't like fingerprints on his fridge). On the other hand, God help you if you don't use napkins and coasters in his crib. And to further punctuate his cluelessness with the state of fatherhood, he relates to Peyton in terms of football playcalling and acts much like a baby himself. The Rock is a natural at all this, handling the comedy elements with ease and dexterity. His athleticism and sheer physical presence are always assets, but, coming in particularly handy for this film is his football background - he was a defensive tackle on the 1991 NCAA football champs, the Miami Hurricanes. For his acting craft, he did suffer a ruptured Achilles tendon (a fairly common sports injury) during the filming of this picture. How's that for method acting?
The Rock has moved past the flavor of the month and firmly into the category of a leading action star who's here to stay. I'm not exactly sure how his next project'll work out (I did like the original ESCAPE TO WITCH MOUNTAIN), but I hear that SHAZAM! is around the corner. But all that's in the future. For now, THE GAME PLAN is here and I expect it'll carve hefty inroads into the box office receipts. So, yes, definitely, go check this one out. You probably won't see the Rock lisp again in cinema.
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The King Meets His Match
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| Review Date: August 31, 2008 |
| Reviewer: Misherald, Charleston SC USA |
THE GAME PLAN is a hilarious heartwarming family comedy where one of the sports toughest players meets his biggest challenge - his daughter and learning fatherhood. Joe Kingman played by Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson is preparing for the championship games when his 8-year-old daughter Payton shows up with no notice at his apartment with the news that he has a daughter. When Joe puts all the pieces together with his agent their first concern is his career but as the movie moves on we see Joe's mentality turn from superstar to dad. As he gets closer to the big championship, he gets some quick lessons in being a father and making the difference to the most important fan in his life his daughter.
The movie is the perfect family movie and I give Disney two thumbs up for this one. Dwayne Johnson & Madison Pettis make the perfect father daughter team. It is a classic to add to any family's collection
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DISNEY AT THEIR BEST!!!
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| Review Date: January 23, 2008 |
| Reviewer: hjtras, Horseheads, N.Y. |
| I had heard people say that they cried their hearts out while watching this movie. Halfway through it, I did find myself crying but it was because I was laughing so hard that the tears were just pouring out of my eyes. I don't wish to give any spoilers but I will say that by the end of the film, I was crying for another reason. This is a wonderful family movie that we all sat down and enjoyed. |
Family Movie
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| Review Date: December 14, 2008 |
| Reviewer: , |
| First of all i love madison pettis.Great actor.Her and the rock are good pairs.The movie had a great message behind it and it was a very very funny and a great family movie. |
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