Playing for Keeps (2012)
Average Rating: 3.4/10
Reviews Counted: 83
Fresh: 3 | Rotten: 80
Witless, unfocused, and arguably misogynistic, Playing for Keeps is a dispiriting, lowest-common-denominator Hollywood rom-com.
Average Rating: 3.5/10
Critic Reviews: 31
Fresh: 0 | Rotten: 31
Witless, unfocused, and arguably misogynistic, Playing for Keeps is a dispiriting, lowest-common-denominator Hollywood rom-com.
liked it
Average Rating: 3.1/5
User Ratings: 15,922
My Rating
Movie Info
Gerard Butler, Jessica Biel, Uma Thurman, Catherine Zeta-Jones and Dennis Quaid star in Playing for Keeps, a romantic comedy about a charming, down-on-his luck former soccer star (Butler) who returns home to put his life back together. Looking for a way to rebuild his relationship with his son, he gets roped into coaching the boy's soccer team. But his attempts to finally become an "adult" are met with hilarious challenges from the attractive "soccer moms" who pursue him at every turn. -- (C)
Watch It Now
Cast
-
Gerard Butler
George -
Jessica Biel
Stacie -
Noah Lomax
Lewis -
Dennis Quaid
Carl -
Uma Thurman
Patti -
Catherine Zeta-Jones
Denise -
James Tupper
Matt -
Judy Greer
Barb -
Abella Wyss
Ally -
Grant S. Goodman
Billy -
Grant Collins
Griffin -
Aidan Potter
Hunter -
Marlena Rayne Lerner
Samantha -
Igbal Theba
Param -
Sean O'Bryan
Assistant Coach Jacob -
Mike Martindale
Coach Len -
Jason Winston George
Chip Johnston -
Emily Somers
Dawn -
Gerry May
Sports Anchor -
Katia Gomez
Lupe -
Gisella Marengo
Mom, Mom #1 -
Cindy Creekmore
Mom #2 -
Nicki Buggs
Mom #3 -
Ritchie Montgomery
The Owner -
Jon Mack
Connie -
Jesse De Luna
Desk Sergeant -
Soumia Aakaboune
Aracelli -
Parker Eppes
Joel -
Joe Chrest
Referee -
Shanna Forrestall
Clerk -
Aisha Kabia
ESPN Woman Executive -
Jody Lambert
ESPN Male Executive -
Adam Kulbersh
ESPN Studio Technician -
Kimberly Hawthorne
ESPN Receptionist -
Iqbal Theba
Iqbal
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Playing for Keeps Trailer & Photos
All Critics (83) | Top Critics (31) | Fresh (3) | Rotten (81) | DVD (2)
Everyone involved deserves a script with more wit, originality and sense of purpose.
Top CriticDennis Quaid hammers away at a nothing role as Thurman's husband, an adulterous alpha dog; it's nearly identical to the one he played earlier this year in What to Expect When You're Expecting, but who's counting?
These are actors due a break. Unfortunately, this comedy-drama about a kids' soccer coach boinking a bunch of desperate housewives doesn't appear to be it.
Smarmy. Dopey. Sloppy. Lazy. Creepy. Tone-deaf. Predictable. Embarrassing. Lousy.
I'll long be haunted by Dennis Quaid's manic performance as a palm-greasing dad who seems to be under the influence of bath salts ...
Playing for Keeps takes place in a tonally incoherent universe, constantly shifting between rom-com farce and mawkish family drama.
All the characters and their motivations are banal at best and half drawn at worst, leading to the question: why didn't this end up on The Hallmark Channel starring TV's hot-tail of the moment?
... a half-hearted comedy about the perils of former professional athletes that unsuccessfully tries to force together elements of domestic melodrama and romantic farce.
Gerard Butler once again submits his man card to a brutal ritual sacrifice in pandering, mediocre romantic comedie.
An own-goal shambles of bland characterization, comic shtick, exes-still-in-love clichés and lazy implausibilities, Playing For Keeps plays down to the ugliest American stereotype of soccer-dull to the point of brain-death.
Did Gerard really leave the UK and a guaranteed pundit spot on Match of the Day for an automatous son and callous wife? Playing for Keeps asks difficult questions like these but provides no satisfying answers.
If this was a biscuit, it would be an own-label digestive, full of sugar and trans fats - but suited and booted in a glistening wrapper.
The comedy has its moments but they are few, and a high-powered cast, which also includes Judy Greer and Dennis Quaid, give mostly low-powered performances.
Even the usually reliable Dennis Quaid flounders as a fellow parent in a film that is at least slickly put together but is ultimately a sheer waste of talent.
In the long, ignoble tradition of naff romcoms starring Butler, this stands alongside The Ugly Truth and The Bounty Hunter as the worst of its kind.
Sadly wastes its star-studded cast and has very little to offer in the way of laughs and touching moments.
Even an actor as capable as Dennis Quaid is incapable of wading in to save it.
Hitting our screens on New Year's Day, let's cross our fingers and hope that Playing for Keeps isn't an indication as to how the rest of 2013 will be for cinema. Best to get it out of the way early, I suppose!
Not quite as bad as it sounds, despite the corny game plan.
Rigidly formulaic and shamelessly sentimental.
A father-son heart-tugger wrapped around a mushy reconciliation rom-com sprinkled with tinsel of shiny Hollywood supporting stars acting like they're in another movie entirely.
Garbage.
Fox hasn't penned a script since 1993's So I Married an Axe Murderer, and he apparently hasn't left his home, either ...
Another "almost there" film for Gerard Butler. Amazing that he is still coasting on his "300" fame.
Audience Reviews for Playing for Keeps
Super Reviewer
Super Reviewer
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- George: I think he has a learnin' disability.
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- Iqbal: How do you get to meet so many hot women?
- George: I have an ascent!
-
- George: I think he has a learning disability.
-
- George: Let's get these wankers!
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- Carl: Take it for a spin.
Discussion Forum
| Topic | Last Post | Replies |
|---|---|---|
| HELLO? | 37 days ago | 36 |
| OUCHHHHHHHHHHH not seeing | 4 months ago | 0 |
| Fallinlove | 4 months ago | 0 |
| DQ high on bath salts | 5 months ago | 0 |
Latest News on Playing for Keeps
December 7, 2012:
Critics Consensus: Playing for Keeps Misses the MarkThis week at the movies brings only one new release: Playing for Keeps, a romantic comedy starring...
December 7, 2012:
Parental Guidance: Playing for Keeps and The Dark Knight RisesThis week in new family films, we've got a sports flick, a superhero blockbuster, and a fantasy...
December 6, 2012:
Red Carpet Roundup with Gerard Butler, Jessica Biel, and MoreIn support of Playing for Keeps.
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Foreign Titles
- Kiss the Coach (DE)
- Playing for Keeps (UK)
Great family movie! An honest movie, well acted, well written and well directed. Somehow refreshing to see a comedy that could it go wrong easily and instead was delivered in a classy and delicate manner. Honesty is the best attribute to describe this movie; it is never over the top, and it doesn't pretend to be what is not. A classic comedy about becoming an adult with a good set of values. Gerard plays his role in a credible tone as all his co-stars, Jessica is fantastic and gives a very strong performance. Special mention to all the secondary characters that played their best with the roles. I wish more movies like this one will get out there and be seeing. Well done and highly recommended.
George is a former professional soccer star who's moved to Virginia to be close to his ex-wife and son. He's broke, jobless, without a plan, and a constant source of disappointment to his son. When he takes over as his son's soccer coach, he has a new connection to the lad. He also gets the attention of three of the players' moms as well as the glad hand of a wealthy dad. His ex-wife's getting married, he has a lead on a sportscasting job, and he finds new ways to disappoint his son. Is there any way he can sort things out?