Why should you go see this movie?
Gerard Butler.
Do you need more of a reason to go see this, perhaps because you’re a dude and your girlfriend is begging you to take her? Well, okay, here are 3 reasons: Jessica Biel, Uma Thurman, and Catherine Zeta-Jones. One of them may or may not have a scantily clad scene. Not saying for sure, and not saying which one, but in another movie you’ve gotten very intimate with her toes.
Is that still not enough? Okay, fine. It’s a romantic comedy. Butler plays George, a former soccer star who, like most former (anything) stars, has fallen on hard times, financially and… everything else-y. He ends up coaching his son’s soccer team, because if you can’t do, teach. Or coach. Whatever. Meanwhile, his ex, played by Biel, is getting married again, to a guy who isn’t awful, George is trying to find a new non-coaching/actually-pays-him type of job, and the soccer moms are all over him. Problems arise, hilarity ensues, more problems happen, blah blah blah, predictable rom-com. You know how it’s going to end before you even sit down in the theater, but you also know that you’re gonna enjoy every funny, predictably entertaining minute of it.
Dennis Quaid plays the father of one of the soccer kids, and oh boy, is he hilariously awful in this movie. The character, I mean, not his acting. Unless he’s become a weird, selfish, freak-show lunatic recently. I don’t think he has, but if so, let me know! Anywho, he’s great in this. Lots of laughs from his psychotic character. Another amazing role was that of George’s landlord, played by Iqbal Theba, best known as Principal Figgins in Glee, or for the non-gleeks, that Indian guy who’s been in nearly 100 different things. You’ll know him when you see him. The laugh-out-loudiest (yes, I know it’s not a word, but it is now!) part of the whole movie, for me, was a very amusing moment with his character. And towards the tail-end of the movie, when his short-but-awesome story line comes to a close, the entire theater burst into applause. Only time that happened during the whole film, and I think it’s quite telling of how awesome his character is.
As I said before, this movie is nothing earth-shatteringly new. It’s not even township-shakily new. It’s the age-old “boy and girl have issues and then work them out” story. But I laughed, I cared about the characters, and I laughed some more. What else do you need from a romantic comedy?
Oh, did I mention, Gerard Butler? Shirtless?
Seriously, what has he been awful in? Because I’ll tell ya, even if the acting sucks (which I don’t recall happening, ever) he’s still Gerard Butler, which means I’m gonna watch it!
For sticking to the formula because it works, and for Gerard Butler in all his holy hotness, I’m giving Playing For Keeps:
12 hearts!
Check out the trailer below:
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kq6OwEY8bcM]
As an avid Jill-Of-All-Trades, I dabble in many things, but I've always been passionate about writing and photography. I read like a fiend, all sorts of genres and authors, and I hope someday to write my own novels. I've been taking pictures since I was little, and I strive to improve my skills everytime I pick up a camera. I love all kinds of movies, from those terrible-yet-hilarious B movies to the latest superhero blockbusters. I play video games, roleplaying games, even Magic: The Gathering (much to the chagrin of my wallet, at times), because I adore delving into these other, amazing, created worlds. Check out all my interests and projects, or get in touch with me, on my Facebook page at: Http://www.facebook.com/SamanthaCantrellAZ
