Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson and Madison Pettis in "The Game Plan"
courtesy of Disney Home Entertainment
"He's Got Game"

Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson is a man who knows how to make smart moves in his career. He has traveled through "The Mummy" series to action movies like "Walking Tall" and inspirational ones like "The Gridiron Gang." They showed he was a strong man and a fairly strong actor. But he needed a blockbuster that was all about him and his personality. That film is "The Game Plan."

This movie, now out on DVD, centers on a "star" football player who suddenly finds out he has a seven-year-old daughter. She wins him over with her charm and sweetness. Sounds simple but it isn't. Somewhere along the way the movie wraps you up with its story and makes you care about these characters. What should only be so so entertainment becomes a totally enjoyable film.

Joe Kingman (Johnson) is a man obsessed with sports - rather with his sport which is football. He is the main focus of the fans as he leads his team, The Boston Rebels, to win after win. He is handsome, rich and a good time guy. He doesn't have a care in the world except to stay in good shape and keep winning games.

But all of that changes when one day his doorbell rings and he finds a seven-year-old girl there. She says she is his daughter Peyton (Madison Pettis), and has a birth certificate to prove it. Her mother, Joe's ex-wife, is in Africa and Peyton is Joe's responsibility for a month.

The movie covers Joe's transformation over this one month period. He is helped in this change over by Peyton and her ballet teacher Monique Vasquez (Rosalyn Sanchez). His teammates also join the fun as well as his agent Stella Peck (Kyra Sedgwick)

The key to the success of the film is the relationship between Joe and Peyton. Johnson manages to make Kingman completely dislikable in the early scenes, and Peyton is almost too cute. But then both of them begin to grow, and watching the transformations and believing the transformations makes the movie fun, funny and heart-warming.

Dwayne Johnson continues to grow as an actor. In this film he is a good comic as well as a total leading man. He is very romantic opposite Sanchez and very paternal regarding Pettis. The film is about a variety of relationships and Johnson helps make them all credible.

Pettis could easily be one of those sickeningly sweet child actors but somehow she knows just where to draw the line on her bright smile and adorable actions. You never tire of her in this film and that is saying a lot since she is in just about every scene.

Sedgwick creates a character who is light years away from her role on "The Closer." Stella is self-centered and career obsessed, and her funny moments are unintentional. Sedgwick absolutely nails this role. Sanchez doesn't get to be funny but she does get to look beautiful and act winningly. She is perfect casting opposite the Rock.

"The Game Plan" trailer may have turned some people off with its sweet look and cutesy man and daughter story. But it is much more than this, and is a movie families can watch and enjoy together. You may think you aren't going to like it but take a chance. It might just win you over too like it did me.

Unlike "The Rock" Jessica Simpson is her own worst enemy as far as her career is concerned. Or maybe it is that oily acting father of hers who manages her career. In any event, Jessica was America's darling when she co-starred with then husband Nick Lachey in the reality series "The Newlyweds."

When the series and her marriage ended Jessica fell out of favor with America BUT she wouldn't go away. Her picture was everywhere and her lack of talent became glaring. Instead of taking small roles in substantial movies, and working on her craft, Jessica made movies where she was "the star." Such a case is "Blonde Ambition." Now out on DVD.

In this film she plays a girl from a small town who takes on New York City. She wants the love of her life plus the success of a lifetime. The movie is about how she goes about getting both and it is laughably (not in a good way) bad. Luke Wilson is stick in this mess as her co-star and he looks as uncomfortable as she is blissful.

Jessica honey, wake up and smell the coffee. This Hollywood star thing isn't going to work. At least not the way you are going at it. Take a few steps back, replace dad with someone who knows the business, and retreat from the public eye for a while. You deserve a rest and so do we.

Someone who has found his niche in Hollywood is Dolph Lundgren.  After he made an impressive appearance in one of the "Rocky" movies this young actor realized he would never be a top Hollywood star. So he looked at where his strong points were and decided action movies were the thing for him to pursue - and he has. A perfect example is the new DVD title "The Missionary Man." 

In this movie he 0plays a mysterious stranger who comes to a small town and drives out the evil forces. It is a role that doesn't require great acting skills. He just has to be believable in the action sequences and he is. His fans love him in these roles and it is even good enough to gain him some new ones.

So watch for Dolph Lundgren in "Missionary Man." It is a movie perfect for his talent and skills. Jessica Simpson would do well to learn from his career path.

Ryan Reynolds, Hope Davis, Melissa McCarthy and Elle Fanning star in a quirky, confusing movie titled "The Nines." In this movie there are three different stories using these actors in different roles. But somehow the stories are all supposed to link, or at least I think they were.

You will find these movies interesting, but the overall effect is confusion. I didn't solve the mystery of "The Nines" but maybe you will. I did enjoy the acting of Reynolds and Davis. They made even the most confusing parts enjoyable by their acting skills.

Finally we have "Scenes of a Sexual Nature," a movie about seven couples and how they play the love game. Ewan McGregor, Polly Walker, Sophie Okenodo and others portray the members of these couples who are all assembled in a place called Hampton Heath. They are at various stages of their "coupledom" and watching them is dramatic and comedic.

Variety is what makes this film so spicy. You get a range of emotions and appearances. Some of the people you will like and some you won't. It is all there and all enjoyable to watch. It is "Scenes of a Sexual Nature." Watch it!
 

 

 

 

 

©2008 Jackie K. Cooper

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