The Game Plan
By
Victoria Alexander
FilmsInReview.com

It’s the same old story, but Dwayne Johnson oozes charisma.

My weekly column, “The Devil’s Hammer,” is posted every Monday. The Devil's Hammer on FTB. If you would like to be included on my distribution list for a weekly preview, just email me at masauu@aol.com.

NFL’s number 1 superstar quarterback, Joe Kingman (Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson) loves being him. He loves himself and he enjoys being recognized by fans. His huge apartment is a museum to himself. Joe has got a lot of adorable qualities: He’s so tidy he demands his football buddies use coasters. He doesn’t just say something is new, he reminds the guys how much it costs. He earns it, he spends it. His hero is Elvis Presley. Like my friend Tom Clancy, he has an “I Love Me” room.

Since touring Tom’s trophy room at his estate. I gave an “I Love Me” room to my husband.

While Kingman and his team prepare for a championship, he gets a visit from a 7-year-old girl, who informs him she is his daughter Peyton (Madison Pettis). Before he was Boston’s biggest sports star, he had a brief marriage. Precocious Peyton is verbal and sophisticated. Joe immediately calls in his hard-edged agent, Stella (Kyra Sedgwick), to handle the situation. With mega-endorsement deals looming, Stella advises he keep Peyton a secret for the one month she is staying with Joe. Peyton has told him her mother is in Africa. To behave, Peyton blackmails Joe. He is to take her to a ballet school. The school is run by Monique (Roselyn Sanchez), who does not know who Kingman is. She demands that Kingman join the group and learn ballet for their annual presentation. They need him to be a tree suitor surrounded by nymphs in a magical forest.

You know the story. It’s been done before. How many times have we seen a too-smart kid teamed with a happy-go-lucky sports star (or coach)? Where do they find these child actors? Pettis is a real actress and she is given a lot of dialogue. Her Peyton is, of course, a genius who listens to Mozart. Kingman loves Elvis and even sings an entire Elvis song. Little girls can be temperamental but Peyton is mature – she is also manipulative and a liar. These traits are always presented as being virtues in movies. Peyton is a little con artist!

What elevates “The Game Plan” is The Rock. Johnson can drop that tag. He does a terrific job here and shows a tremendous amount of charisma that can easily translate into strong dramatic roles. He has taken “The Game Plan” and made it a charming movie for the family while showcasing a full-realized character with foibles. See it for Dwayne Johnson, actor.

Victoria Alexander lives in Las Vegas, Nevada and answers every email. You can contact Victoria directly at masauu@aol.com or by visiting www.FilmsInReview.com.