DVD Playing for Keeps
Run time: 105 min
Rating: 5.7
Genres: Comedy | Romance | Sport
Director: Gabriele Muccino
Writers: Robbie Fox
Stars: Gerard Butler, Jessica Biel, Dennis Quaid
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Storyline George is a former professional soccer star who’s moved to Virginia to be close to his ex-wife and son. He’s broke, jobless, without a plan, and a constant source of disappointment to his son. When he takes over as his son’s soccer coach, he has a new connection to the lad. He also gets the attention of three of the players’ moms as well as the glad hand of a wealthy dad. His ex-wife’s getting married, he has a lead on a sportscasting job, and he finds new ways to disappoint his son. Is there any way he can sort things out? Written by <jhailey@hotmail.com> |
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Plot Keywords: soccer, soccer coach, soccer mom, coach, scene during end credits | |
Details: Country: USA Release Date: 1 January 2013 (UK) |
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Box Office Budget: $35,000,000 (estimated) Opening Weekend: $5,750,288 (USA) (7 December 2012) Gross: $13,101,142 (USA) (15 February 2013) |
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4 comments
Just saw Playing for Keeps at a preview screening last night. Few script surprises in this stock-standard romantic comedy. If you didn't see the end coming in the first 20 minutes, you weren't paying attention. Still, a pleasant date night diversion nonetheless.
Direction and photography were above average. All the actors played their parts up to the very limits of the script. Gerard Butler was quite believable in his role as the womanizing ex- soccer star ready to be a grownup. Female members of the audience voiced their approval of him right on cue throughout the movie. His lifelong real-world enthusiasm for soccer (particularly the Celtics) shone though in quite a number of scenes.
The entourage of swooning soccer moms was also a treat to watch. Judy Greer stole the show in her role as Barb. Her mercurial mood changes were simply hilarious. Dennis Quaid's turn as a mysteriously wealthy local businessman and paranoid husband was a hoot. I can't recall many roles he's played that offered the peculiar mix of affable good guy/sinister bad guy seen here.
Not a chance you'll see this film on stage at Oscar time, but it's worth the price of admission. Recommended.
An honest movie, well acted, well written and well directed. Somehow refreshing to see a comedy that could it go wrong easily and instead was delivered in a classy and delicate manner. Honesty is the best attribute to describe this movie; it is never over the top, and it doesn't pretend to be what is not. A classic comedy about becoming an adult with a good set of values. Gerard plays his role in a credible tone as all his co-stars, Jessica is fantastic and gives a very strong performance. How you know is a good performance? because you'll believe her. The young Noah performance holds next to the others. Special mention to all the secondary characters that played their best with the roles. I wish more movies like this one will get out there and be seeing. The Italian Helmer "Gabriele" did the best thing that a director can do: make the movie work as a whole with a seamless direction. Well done and highly recommended.
I came, I sat, I watched and… well that's about it. I don't have anything bad to say about the movie, but I don't really have anything good to say about it either. Playing for keeps was a pleasant enough love story, but there really wasn't much there to hold my attention. Maybe if I was a HUGE soccer fan… but probably not.
The story was about a man, George (Gerard Butler), who screwed up his marriage and is trying to win back both his wife and son. Butler and Biel (who plays the ex-wife Stacie) both put in a good performance but I didn't feel any chemistry between them. The only character I felt any connection with was the kid, Lewis (Noah Lomax).
Throughout the movie we kept hearing about how exciting and fun George was, but I failed to see it. Dennis Quaid does put in a fantastic performance as the reprehensible Carl.
I was very much looking forward to seeing this movie because of the stars and supporting roles, as well. I was heartily disappointed. I like Gerard Butler, and enjoyed him in the movie, but the movie was incredibly slow even for me, someone who is not into action movies. But there was too little here. Too many talented women making fools of themselves, and Dennis Quaid was thoroughly wasted as a philandering husband jealous of his wife. Outside of the main characters, all of the roles were flat and without much personality. Butler isn't the only actor who made a mistake to accept this script. Butler and Biel were the only ones with anything to work with, and they did their best, but the script was simply a failure. This was not even good enough for TV, let alone a motion picture. Save your time and money and watch something else! This is one case in which the critics were right. No wonder this was a box office flop.