PLAYING FOR KEEPS

PLAYING FOR KEEPS

Jeri Jacquin, Movie Maven

Coming to theatres this Friday from director Gabriele Muccino and FilmDistrict comes a comedy with a little kick in PLAYING FOR KEEPS.

This film tells the story of soccer player George (Gerard Butler), a one-time-famous soccer player who is doesn’t have direction in his life. Moving to a small eastern town, he wants to be closer to his son Lewis (Noah Lomax) and spent time getting to know him. It doesn’t take long before he learns that ex-wife Stacie (Jessica Biel) is getting remarried.

Taking Lewis to soccer practice one afternoon George sees the pathetic nature of the team. No training and no fun and almost immediately he takes over as coach to the delight of parents. A few soccer Mom’s can’t help but notice George’s rugged good looks to include Denise (Catherine Zeta-Jones) and Barb (Judy Greer).

Out the corner of her eye, soccer Mom Patti (Uma Thurman) also notices George but bribery laced soccer Dad Car (Dennis Quaid) sees him as a trophy for his parties. When George isn’t being hit on by the soccer women he is trying to get a job as a local sportscaster.

He’s one kick away from getting everything he never knew he wanted!

FINAL WORD: I really like Butler, truly I do, but this film is a mess. Yes, we all know he’s ruggedly handsome, we all know he has a fantastic accent (yes men, it is the accent) and he is charming. That being said we’ve seen him play this character but this time it isn’t as funny or charming. I really enjoyed his role in CHASING MAVERICKS earlier this year and those are the kinds of roles he needs to stay with.

Biel is fine but the wife-girlfriend-fiancé-should-I-shouldn’t-I thing with the puppy eyes just didn’t do it for me. Lomax as Lewis is very sweet and a kid with self-righteous anger that is properly aimed in the right direction.

Here’s were it gets ugly folks: Zeta-Jones as a “you scratch my whatever and I’ll scratch yours” was horribly done. Leaving the kid with a nanny so you can score a goal was so nice – not. Greer, Miss Greer, please stop playing these whiny/weepy roles. I LOVE your voice work in ARCHER – learn from Cheryl.

Thurman is an insanely ridiculous hyped up weirded out character that I couldn’t watch for long. I got a sort of “I’m ready for my close up Mr. DeMille” vibe that creeped me out. And perfectly, Quaid cast as her husband Carl is equally as creepy with his joker smile, wide eyed crazy look that made me realize these two characters belong together – in straight jackets sharing a padded cell!

Other cast include. James Tupper as Matt, Abella Wyss as Ally, Grant Goodman as Billy, Grant Collins as Griffin, Aidan Potter as Hunter, Marlena Lerner as Samantha, Sean O’Bryan as Assistant Coach Jacob and Iqbal Theba as Param.

FINAL WORD: I give PLAYING FOR KEEPS two and a half tubs of popcorn out of five. There are a lot of innuendoes, word play and adults acting like teenagers and a little skin here and there. I think the only one amused by it all was the neighbor in the film.

Yes, women will flock to it to see Gerard Butler and men will go to make their women happy. The ratio to women vs. men in the film is slightly in their favor but its GERARD BUTLER as many have pointed out to me. Lets call it a date night film that has its moments and leave it at that.

In the end – keep shuffling the feet!