ViewGuide

Created Mar 01, 2008 01:52PM PST • Edited Mar 01, 2008 01:52PM PST

1. Quality

2. Summary

   Great 4.0

   Formulaic and filled with cliches, but the ending emotional results affect audiences surprisingly well.

4. Acting

   Very Good 3.5

   Dwayne Johnson successfully moves out of his “Rock” phase as Joe Kingman. A realistic role that plays to his real life strengths. Expected laughs and light drama occur when Joe’s 8 year old daughter Peyton, played by Madison Pettis, shows up at his doorstep. This little actress shows charm and intelligence in a solid big screen debut. The gorgeous Roselyn Sanchez (“Rush Hour”) plays the romantic interest, a dance instructor named Monique, well. “Transporter 2” femme fatale Kate Nauta also makes a forgettable, two-scene impression as Joe’s girlfriend Tatianna leaving room for Monique.

5. Male Stars Very Good 3.5

6. Female Stars Very Good 3.5

7. Female Costars Very Good 3.5

8. Male Costars Very Good 3.5

10. Film

    Very Good 3.5

    Overall, director Andy Finkman (“She’s the Man”) creates a smooth experience in several familiar Boston area locales, but tends to douse viewers in the familiar. Training montages set to music, slow motion football scenes and a Mean Joe Greene like scene in a tunnel sustains an average experience that never kicks into overdrive. Finkman uses over-the-top, “bandwagon” reactions for excitement instead of concentrating on how the scene can create more excitement naturally.

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

    Risqué 1.6

    Not much – it’s a kid’s movie. Some romantic element between the two leads (the dance instructor bends her body provocatively – what a surprise). Basically, the self centered, Elvis loving Joe shifts gears using four weeks to make up for several years when he didn’t even know Peyton existed.

17. Sex Titillating 1.6

18. Violence Fierce 1.6

19. Rudeness Salty 1.6

21. Reality

    Glib 1.4

    Announcer cameos from Boomer Esiason, Stuart Scott and Marv Albert work while Jim Gray gets key scene playing (drum roll) – a sports reporter. This movie comes up a bit short on the football side, though ballet scenes promote a nice recommendation and excitement for the sport.

22. Circumstantial Glib 1.4

23. Biological Glib 1.4

24. Physical Glib 1.4