The Game Plan

Since Arnie’s been busy, Hollywood has been looking for a new family-friendly muscle-man. Vin Diesel failed in ‘The Pacifier’, so step up Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson, who can arch his eyebrows while looking large next to a child. The kid in question is precocious Peyton (Madison Pettis), who confronts Johnson’s quarterback star, claiming to be his daughter.

Vaguely humorous clashes follow as Joe attempts to be a good dad for the cameras, leaves his child in a bar, or reels in horror as his suits are ruined. Things get soppy when the grumpy bear starts to mellow. The editing’s loose, and every scene runs a full minute longer than it should.

Still, 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. No shortage of product placement here.