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Created Dec 17, 2007 01:48PM PST • Edited Dec 17, 2007 01:48PM PST

1. Quality

2. Summary

   Good 3.0

   The Rock was once the most dynamic entertainer in all of professional wrestling. With his athleticism and charisma, he used to bring so much more to the ring than just signature moves and phrases. He has lately been working more toward using that charisma and presence on the big screen. Now going mostly by Dwayne Johnson, his acting has progressed from the Scorpion King in The Mummy Returns, throwing big elbows and wrestling moves at all turns, to a full on actor who doesn’t rely on his eyebrow to get a swoon.

   Joe Kingman (Johnson) is the number one quarterback in the NFL and is leading his team into the playoffs with his athleticism and determination. There is only one thing that is holding him back from being a truly amazing quarterback and receiving his Super Bowl ring, and that one thing is his ego. He always wants to be in the limelight and when the game is on the line, he wants all of the pressure to be on his shoulders. Now, normally you say that someone who wants it all on their shoulders is doing that because they are a leader and are the best player, but in this instance it is because he wants the dividends it pays to have won it on your own.

   Everything is going right and he is heading into the playoffs with a full head of steam until he finds out that he has a daughter from a previous relationship who is now 8 years old. As you would expect, Joe is not versed in raising a child, so his daughter Peyton (Madison Kelly) has to teach him how to care for someone else and put their needs first. And also as expected, he dates airheaded models, but as he cares for Peyton, he begins to realize that he might care for someone else in more than just a physical way.

   The movie is full of your normal cast of characters that you would expect from a Disney family film. From the Joe’s money hungry agent played by Kyra Sedgwick, to the family man teammate played by Morris Chestnut all the way to his goofy band of misfit teammates who end up enjoying hanging out with Peyton and taking care of her. There is even Joe’s dog, a well trained bulldog who ends up loving Peyton more than he loves his owner.

   It is very cliched with these characters that are completely expected in the film, as well as having many lines, scenes and montages that go perfectly with a Disney film. Probably my favorite part of the entire film was a montage that was set to the music of Robert Randolph & The Family Band’s “Ain’t Nothin Wrong with That”. And even though it was cliched, it felt like a Disney film. And I don’t mean that in a derogatory way either. What I mean is that in the parts where you are supposed to care about the people, you do, and Disney knows exactly where to pull on your heart strings to make it not feel forced. They have been doing it longer than anyone, and this movie is a prime example.

   Johnson is definitely the star of this movie with a close second in screen time going to Madison Kelly, who plays Peyton. The beginning of the movie looks more like an audition for an Elvis film from Johnson as his character tries so hard to emulate The King that it almost hurts, but as he becomes more comfortable with being a father, we become more comfortable with liking him and wanting him to grow.

   Overall, the film was a good step out of the normal boundaries for The Rock, and he did fairly well. He does comedy well, he does action well, and a certain amount of drama he does alright with as well. I doubt he will ever be at the caliber of someone like DiCaprio or Crowe, but he is quickly coming on par with people like Willis and Stallone. I am kind of excited to see where his acting career takes him. He is not above playing a gay dancer wannabe in films like Be Cool, and is willing to get out of his comfort zone and try films like Southland Tales, so he is making the right decisions. Hopefully he will keep progressing as an actor and keep choosing the right roles to diversify his acting talent and become the strong actor that he is capable of. It was a pretty good film, and knowing it’s a Disney film, you know what you are going to get, and this one doesn’t disappoint on that front. I give The Game Plan a 6 out of 10.

4. Acting

   OK 2.5

5. Male Stars OK 2.5

6. Female Stars OK 2.5

7. Female Costars OK 2.5

8. Male Costars OK 2.5

10. Film

    Very Good 3.5

11. Direction Very Good 3.5

12. Play Very Good 3.5

13. Music Very Good 3.5

14. Visuals Very Good 3.5
15. Content

16. Edge

    Tame 1.4

17. Sex Innocent 1.4

18. Violence Gentle 1.4

19. Rudeness Polite 1.4

21. Reality

    Surreal 2.5

22. Circumstantial Surreal 2.5

23. Biological Surreal 2.5

24. Physical Surreal 2.5