THE GAME PLAN (U)

5:15pm Thursday 6th March 2008

Although the setting and underlying themes are contemporary - the corruptive allure of celebrity, the pressures of single parenthood, rampant materialis -The Game Plan is, at its soft, gooey heart, an old-fashioned Disney yarn extolling the virtues of the family.

Once again, the clash between the generations - which energised Freaky Friday, The Parent Trap and all the rest of them - provides the comedic spark, pitting a hulking American footballer against his eight-year-old daughter. The humour is gentle and inoffensive. For instance, when the cheeky tyke needs a soak, she invariably empties two bottles of bubble bath into the tub unleashing great clouds of white froth.

The father's beloved bulldog, Spike, dons a tutu and nail polish to mirror the youngster's love of ballet and when the girl's end of term recital desperately needs a strapping male dancer, you just know that the macho father will squeeze into Lycra to save the day, demonstrating his tender, feminine side in the process.

Wrestling star turned Hollywood action hero Dwayne Johnson (aka The Rock) demonstrates a flair for comedy, throwing himself into each misadventure with gusto, and there's a nice rapport with his diminutive and cute co-star, Madison Pettis.

The story is that Joe Kingman (Johnson) is at the top of his game. A superstar quarterback for the Boston Rebels, Joe is single-handedly guiding his team towards the NFL championship play-offs, albeit with his usual brand of arrogance on the field. His carefully ordered world comes crashing down when eight-year-old Peyton (Pettis) turns up on his doorstep, claiming to be his long lost offspring. Abandoned for two weeks by her mother, who is on humanitarian duties in Africa, Peyton needs somewhere to stay and Joe takes in the rosy-cheeked lass.

At first, Joe struggles to adapt to parenthood, continuing to pursue his party-going lifestyle.

When the media threatens to eat him alive for his behaviour, Joe goes on the offensive by attending ballet lessons with his little girl.

The Game Plan isn't shy about slathering on the mawkish sentiment, especially in the closing moments when Joe plays through the pain of an injury to guide the Rebels to their fairy-tale finale. Fickman directs with a light touch, straining credibility as much as possible.

Family/Comedy. Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson, Madison Pettis, Kyra Sedgwick, Roselyn Sanchez, Morris Chestnut, Hayes Macarthur, Brian J White. Director: Andy Fickman RATING: THREE STARS

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