Playing for Keeps

Out of all the genres Hollywood has to offer, the one that is usually the most predictable has got to be either the romantic comedy and/or the romantic dramatic comedy. When I saw the trailer for "Playing for Keeps", I thought, great cast, but looks like it's a bit predictable. Don't you just hate it when you're right at the times you don't want to be?

A former soccer sports star, George Dryer (Gerard Butler) who's fallen on hard times starts coaching his son, Lewis' (Noah Lomax) soccer team, as a way to get his life together again, especially in getting back his ex-wife, Stacie (Jessica Biel). His attempts to become an adult are met with challenges from the attractive soccer moms who pursue him at every turn, especially Barb (Judy Greer) and Denise (Catherine Zeta-Jones).

Others to round out the cast are Dennis Quaid as Carl, Uma Thurman as Patti, Carl's wife, James Tupper as Matt, Abella Wyss as Ally, Grant Goodman as Billy, Grant Collins as Griffin, Aidan Potter as Hunter, Marlena Lerner as Samantha, Igbal Theba as Param, George's landlord, and Sean O'Bryan as Asst. Coach Jacob.

This was effectively directed by Gabriele Muccino ("But Forever in My Mind" '99, "The Last Kiss" '01, Remember Me, My Love" '03, "The Pursuit of Happyness" '06, "Seven Pounds" '08, "Kiss Me Again" '10). Certainly wasn't one of Muccino's better efforts, but effective. Where this film falls short is in, you guessed it, the lack of a tight script which was executed by Robbie Fox ("Shooting Elizabeth" '92, "So I Married an Axe Murderer" '93, "In the Army Now"--story, '94). As stated above, the way the script unfolded was amazingly predictable. One could practically mouth the words by the way each scene was played out.

If you're a film goer that's really into a formulaic, structured, storyline and script, you will love this, however if you're looking for something meatier with an unpredictable plot and ending, at least bittersweet, you will be squirming in your seat kicking yourself for not waiting for the DVD.

Out of 4 stars: 2                    Rated: PG-13                        105mins.