The Game Plan: Critic Reviews

Having tamed one muscled man-child (Vin Diesel in The Pacifier), Disney sets its sights on The Rock.

The movie is so likable that it glides over its many plot holes. The filma(TM)s direction, by Andy Fickman, is raucous but never crass, and the affable Mr. Johnson is committed to every moment.

A barf-inducer. A hurl-promoter. A projectile-vomit-stimulator.

The Game Plan follows familiar formulas and characters, both brightened by a bit of wit and good performances from the two leads.

[Johnson's] quick smile and willingness to play along make him by far the most likable of modern movie muscleheads. He's thus one of the reasons to see The Game Plan.

Director Andy Fickman seem to have thrown everything into this artificial comedy, in the hopes that something might stick. Almost nothing does.

I was hooked. While the critic (sounds like cynic) nitpicked the movie's predictable storytelling and comic set-ups, the mother in me sniffled with emotion as the Big Bad Quarterback turned into a sloppy puddle of a man.

Yes, this is a road we've traveled down before, but at least this time, it's paved with a lot of charm and heart.

Almost every note in this insipid comedy is strident or false.

Despite the fact that we've seen it all before, it works.

Everyone from you to the guy who brought the Rock his doughnuts in the morning knows where this is headed, and the script follows the route like a veteran wide receiver.

Johnson strikes a winning balance of swagger, exasperation and sensitivity as Joe Kingman, superstar quarterback.

Apart from a heart-tugging plot twist, some lesson learning and more random football talk, that's about it. Oh, except for the scene in which Kyra Sedgwick farts. Be sure to update your resume, Kyra.

Finally, for Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, The Game Plan pays off.

Generic to the point where it might be called Sport-Themed Disney Girly Movie All Rights Reserved.

A family comedy heavy on syrup and low on laughs.

There is less of a story here than a series of gag situations...

It's certainly a goodhearted story, and the movie does offer a little plot twist that deviates from the usual formula. After that, though, The Game Plan quickly reverts to the established playbook for safe, sappy family fare.

The Rock scores in cute (if predictable) comedy.

Even The Rock's immense charisma cannot save this predicatable fare.

Johnson's amiable performance makes this watchable for the target audience; namely sporty daddies and spoiled little girls primed to assimilate their lives into the Disney brand.