Written by: Dominick at 11:07 PM
Writer: Nichole Millard, Kathryn Price
Director: Andy Finkman
Cast: Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Madison Pettis, Kyra Sedgwick, Roselyn Sanchez, Morris Chestnut, Hayes MacArthur, Brian J. White, Jamal Duff, Paige Turco, Tubbs
Rating: PG
Studio: Walt Disney Video
Release Date: January 22, 2008
I went into The Game Plan expecting a totally different film then I ended up seeing. Don’t get me wrong. That isn’t a bad thing. I truly expected a better-made, better-acted version of Mr. Nannny or The Pacifier. Let’s all be honest, action stars and former wrestlers who delve into comedic roles don’t usually do so with aplomb. Having seen past films with Mr. Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, I knew he had the ability to act. I also knew he had the ability to be funny. He was more than amusing in his role as The Rock when he wrestled, but the humor of WWE is far different than comic relief presented in a movie.
As a movie by Disney, I figured that The Game Plan would be a harmless, family comedy. The movie had some funny scenes presented in the trailer that debuted before it was released at theaters. What I received when I put this DVD into my player was a much deeper, sentimental flick with moments of reality peppered within the plot. The Game Plan was far more enjoyable than I anticipated and it was due in large part to the acting of The Rock, the directing of Andy Finkman and the overall plot of the film.
Release Information:
Disney’s hit comedy, The Game Plan, opened in theaters across the United States on September 28, 2007. After a decent run at the theaters, the movie has made its way to DVD courtesy of Walt Disney Home Video. The DVD is available in Widescreen, Full Screen, and Blu-Ray editions. All of these DVD editions can be found at Amazon and other retailers across the country. At Amazon, the widescreen and full screen editions cost $16.99 and the Blu-Ray costs $23.95. All three were released on January 22, 2008, so they should already be available for you to purchase and enjoy.
The Game Plan Plot
Joe “The King” Kingman (Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson) is a self-absorbed, Elvis-obsessed, star quarterback for the Boston Rebels. Used to living the high life, this party animal has the best of everything. His large pad is a bachelor’s dream with high tech controls for everything from the sound system to the cinema style television, a full gym, an incredible bathroom with a rain style shower and plenty of space for Joe to devote to himself. There are statues, pictures, and other pompous displays of how great Joe Kingman is all over his home and despite his popularity, other than his dog Spike (Tubbs), Kingman really does live a somewhat lonely existence with no one to truly share in his prosperity.
All of that is about to change when Peyton Kelly (Madison Pettis) shows up at Joe’s door. This precocious little girl has an announcement for Joe. She’s his daughter from a past marriage and he’s stuck with her for the next month, while her mother is off in Africa helping out on a humanitarian mission. This couldn’t come at a worse time for Joe, considering he’s just made it into the playoffs. Any type of paternity investigation is going to be damaging to his career (at least according to his agent (Kyra Sedgwick)) and Peyton was born in a time frame that fits with intimate moments he shared with her mother, his ex-wife. He also happens to be listed on her birth certificate, which is something he knows her mother wouldn’t have done had she not believed he was the father.
So, the hard-hitting, partying Joe must learn how to bring a little girl into his world. This involves ballet classes, where her beautiful teacher, Monique Vasquez (Roselyn Sanchez) isn’t willing to listen to any of Joe’s excuses when it comes to Peyton’s dance schedule. It also involves adapting his lifestyle towards early bedtimes, food allergies, and be-jeweling everything including Joe’s prized MVP football. As if changing his lifestyle isn’t enough, Peyton has more than a few tricks up her sleeve as she tries to bond with the father she’s never known.
More heartfelt than I would have expected, The Game Plan is a fun, family-friendly film with a lot of heart. There are definitely some comedic elements that come curtesy of Peyton and Joe’s new fatherhood as well as a supporting cast of football players that include Morris Chestnut, Hayes MacArthur, Brian J. White, and Jamal Duff. While the acting was what made this movie, the comedic timing of The Rock is priceless and Madison Pettis is cute without being too ‘Michelle Tanner’ in her acting approach. Overall, all the elements that make a film good work together to make The Game Plan an enjoyable 110 minutes that won’t make anyone feel like watching it is a waste of time.
Storyline/Plot: 
Replayability:
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Directing:
Audio/Visual:
It’s hard to complain about the visual aspects of The Game Plan. Presented in anamorphic widescreen at an aspect ratio of 2.35:1 the DVD was free of any type of visible errors that would take away from the enjoyment of watching this film. The Game Plan is beautiful, with rich, vibrant colors coming through. The images are clear, and the transfer was about the best that you can get for a standard release DVD.
This film has a lot of action. There’s some scenes with music (including a touching rendition of “Are You Lonesome Tonight” by The Rock himself), plenty of football action, and there is even a ballet sequence as Peyton performs in her big recital. All of this had to be pulled off effectively when it came to sound elements of the film. First, let me just say I didn’t have to fiddle at all with the volume controls when I watched the film. Second, the Dolby Digitial 5.1 Surround Sound in English sounded awesome with both front and back sounds balancing one another out. Dolby Digital Stereo sound is also available in Spanish and French and subtitles are provided in both of these languages, as well.
Visual:
Audio:
Bonus Features:
The first bonus that held my interest on The Game Plan DVD was the behind the scenes featurette, ‘Drafting The Game Plan’. This featurette explores the casting process. It looks into specific scenes in the film, the actors and why they were chosen for their respective roles, complications that arose during production (such as the injury to The Rock’s Achilles tendon, which halted production and led to multiple football stand-ins for the former NFL player), and a look into the brain of Andy Finkman.
There is an informative commentary that provides even more information with The Rock and Finkman behind the scenes. This commentary is called ‘Chalk Talk’. From there, other featurettes include a pretty decent bloopers reel, deleted scenes, a Disney game, ‘Peyton’s Makeover Madness’, and two ESPN featurettes “ESPN Sportscenter DVD/Blu-ray Exclusive: The King in Search of A Ring” and “ESPN Sportscenter DVD/Blu-ray Exclusive: The Rock learns to play QB”. Overall, this isn’t a bad set of extras though the making of and the audio commentary could have been a little more in depth.
Bonus Features: 
Bottom Line:
The Game Plan is a fun Disney film the entire family can enjoy together. If you’re looking for sentimentality, you’ll find it. If you’re looking for humor, you’ll find it. If you’re looking to see The Rock dance in a ballet…oddly enough, you’ll find it in The Game Plan, as well. Football, friends, and a modern day family affair are all what you’ll get in whatever version of The Game Plan you decide to purchase. This one is recommended though some people may not want to admit they like the movie as much as they will upon watching it.
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Technorati Tags: The Game Plan, Dwayne Johnson, The Rock, Walt Disney, Home Video, DVD Review, Madison Pettis, Kyra Sedwick, Morris Chestnut
Written by Dominick Evans - Visit Website
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Dominick is in his late 20s. He lives in Michigan with his life partner, Ashtyn, their 14 year old son Robert, and their Shih-Tzu, Oliver. Dominick is a writer and the head editor for both LI Kids and Literary Illusions. He enjoys composing music and is an aspiring director/screenwriter. In his free time he enjoys spending time with his family, playing and watching sports, playing video games, watching movies, and singing.
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