The Game Plan

Starring: Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, Madison Pettis, Kyra Sedgwick, Roselyn Sanchez, Morris Chestnut
Directed by: Andy Fickman
Rating: PG
Genre: Comedy, Sports
2007

Times Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: An egotistical quarterback (Dwayne Johnson) is shocked to discover he has a daughter (Madison Pettis), who moves in with him, completely disrupting his life and threatening to hurt his chances to finally win the big game.

Review:

Tim: It feels like Disney knew they had a surefire winner with The Game Plan, so they didn't really try. The plot is just so obvious- it telegraphs every plot point far in advance and offers very little to surprise the audience (the only big plot twist isn't even the least bit interesting. I simply just shrugged it off). The problem with this movie is that it needs a massive dose of subtlety. Joe Kingman is an egotistical quarterback- we get that. The movie then proceeds to bang this over our heads over and over again. The movie does this constantly- it beats every fact of the movie relentlessly.

Dwayne Johnson (can't I just call him The Rock?) overacts throughout the movie. He does have a few very good moments (he truly is a gifted actor, regardless of what people may say). Sadly, like the rest of the movie, he is called to overact to the point where he is just a caricature of a real person. I never really bought him or his backstory, simply because the writing was so bad. Madison Pettis is mostly good as his daughter, although she can quite annoying. She is enjoyable at some moments, but frustratingly annoying in others. She might be believable in the role, but I didn't enjoy her very much. Kyra Sedgwick is even worse. It's not like she is even trying- and considering her throwaway role, I am willing to bet she wasn't. The rest of the cast is lukewarm.

The real shame of this movie is that it is a tried and true concept that had every reason to work, especially with the infusion of a little Disney magic. Sadly, the movie is just too ineffective, even for its intended demographic. I am sure kids who don't know any better will probably love it. It certainly had every reason to work. It just doesn't. It is so hard to stay focused and interested in a movie that offers no surprises. Yes, The Game Plan does have a little charm, but it's not enough to overcome its many flaws. I wish I could have enjoyed this movie, but sadly, I can't.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating- 5.5


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