The Game Plan

Action hero Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson tries to soften his image with “The Game Plan”, a treacly, predictable comedy that kids will like more than adults. Solid production values, settings that make use of both sports and dance, and a family-friendly storyline place it firmly within Disney’s target market, although it will probably have more appeal for home viewers than with theatregoers.
Screenwriters Nichole Millard and Kathryn Price draw some easy but still worthwhile connections between football and ballet, appealing to kids in both camps, and throw in some late twists that jeopardize the new relationship between Kingman and Peyton. But for the most part the script follows a well-worn path in which adult males are overgrown kids and the kids themselves have all the smarts. Andy Fickman directs in a broad, easygoing style, thankfully playing down gross-out jokes but never finding the real emotions at the core of the story.
The rest of the cast works as well. Young Madison Pettis, who is seen regularly on the Disney Channel’s Corey in the “House”, gives a more polished performance than she does on television. She’s got a career ahead of her as long as she doesn’t become obnoxious like Raven or psychotic like Lindsay Lohan.
Walt Disney Studios has a grand tradition of both family films and inspirational sports movies. While “The Game Plan” goes more for the family than the sports crowd, it does offer a little something for everyone. In short, the dads in the family aren’t going to cringe throughout the movie.