Although this film has some Disney Channel crossover, it still is a good bit of family entertainment just not too original.
Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson is all charm as he finds out that he’s a daddy and didn’t know it and has to come to grips with Madison Pettis.
Joe Kingman (Dwayne Johnson) is a quarterback that has it all - a swanky apartment, a supermodel girlfriend, all night parties, a snarky agent (Kyra Sedgwick), endorsement deals, and soon to have another cool chunk of cash for endorsing Fanny’s Burgers when the team wins the big game.
However, he discovers that the “cute girl” that the doorman sends up isn’t what he was expecting. It turns out that he’s got a daughter named Peyton (Madison Pettis) that he didn’t know about and she’s come to stay with him unexpectedly. Now he has do adjust his freewheeling lifestyle to adapt to a young child being present - which encounters a few bumps along the way.
The two do begin to form a strong bond and Joe even participates in the ballet school run by Monique Vasquez (Roselyn Sanchez), but their bond is threatened when the truth about how Peyton came to Joe’s doorstep comes out.
Although there’s nothing really new in this film, Game Plan does count on the charm and likeability of its stars to produce a bit of family friendly entertainment. “The Rock” shows his softer side when not on the football field and actually bonding with his newly found daughter, after the obligatory “we don’t like each other” phase that these movies usually have.
Young Madison Pettis is also all charm as the object of his eventual affection. She’s a regular fixture on the Disney Channel in Cory in the House and this feature does offer many crossovers to said channel. There are several times when she grabs Joe’s fancy remote control to turn on the television and Disney Channel product just happens to pop up.
The Rock even made some guest appearance rounds on some of the shows when this movie was being promoted. Not to mention that you can hear Aly & AJ and Hannah Montana tunes in parts of the film. Just goes to show you that those filmmakers know what audience they’re aiming at. Not that you have to be in that demographic to have a good time.
This cynical and jaded critic did have some eventual affection for the film, although I do note that the plot isn’t exactly a new one. If you’re in need of a film for family night then you might as well get this one (even more so if you have some Disney Channel fans on the couch).
The Game Plan is presented in anamorphic widescreen (2.35:1) and is enhanced for 16x9 televisions. A fullscreen version is available separately.
Special features include 21 minutes of delete scenes with introductions by director Andy Fickman. Next are 3 minutes of bloopers with color commentary by Marv Albert. The 20-minute “Drafting the Game Plan” is a making of featurette. Next is a 3 minute clip from ESPN’s Sportscenter looks at the training the Rock when through to look like a real quarterback.
It’s followed by a 5-minute faux story from ESPN about the Joe Kingman character. You can also change the “mood” lighting of the DVD’s menu by clicking on the remote on the table and choosing the different symbols (much like is done in the movie in Joe’s apartment).
If you choose the diamond symbol you can redecorate (or bedazzle if you prefer) parts of the screen (aka Joe’s Apartment) but it’s more like a game and the items really don’t change in the main menu.
The Game Plan is a cute family film and you really shouldn’t think too much about it or it will fall apart. It’s not like you haven’t seen the plot points in other films but it does ride on the charm of its stars. The younger you are the more charming it might be.
The Game Plan is now available at Amazon . As of yet, there is not a release date for the UK. Visit the DVD database for more information.
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