The Game Plan

Reviewer: Alyice Edrich

The Movie

Plot

Joe Kingman is a star athlete whose entire life revolves around the sport of football. His infatuation with football, and his super-sized ego, not only cost him the love of his life but left his life pretty empty—only he doesn’t know it yet. His entire world turns upside down when the daughter he never knew he had arrives on his doorstep.

Starring

Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Madison Pettis, Kyra Sedgwick, Roselyn Sanchez, Morris Chestnut, and more.

Review

I absolutely loved The Game Plan. It was comical, it was relaxing, and it had a good cast of actors. Sure it’s sappy, but what “feel good” movie isn’t sappy. And sure eight-year-old Peyton is a bit too sassy and too smart for her age, but if you take into account the rare child prodigies of the world, she fits right in. And as for macho, tough-guy Joe Kingman, it’s no surprise his heart melted as fast as it did; watching his actions and facial expressions after he kicked his buddies out, in the opening act, hints of dissatisfaction with the way he lived his life.

Everything in Joe’s life revolved around football, partying, and monetary success—there wasn’t any substance, there wasn’t anything to come home to at the end of the day. He lived the life of a rich, spoiled, selfish, egocentric bachelor whose only care in the world was to win-win-win.

But, as things usually do when a child steps into the picture, things begin to change drastically for Joe when the daughter he never knew he had shows up on his doorstep.

At first, Joe is annoyed by the child who so easily turned his world upside down: the messy kitchen, the bubble bath chaos, the painted toes on his male dog, the messing with his remote controls, having to give up his sports car, the interrupted dates, and the taxi driving to name a few. But as Joe begins to open up his heart and allow his daughter to become a part of his life he discovers that there’s more to life than how he’d been living.

The Defining Moment

There’s a point in the film when Peyton asks Joe a series of questions. He answers them all but one and each answer revolves around football. But when asked, “What’s the best thing that’s ever happened to you?” he changes the subject. He simply doesn’t answer.

Towards the end of the film, Joe loses custody of Peyton and all of a sudden football no longer matters. It’s at that moment that he realizes how empty his life would be without his daughter. Even the championship game couldn’t keep his mind off the fact that his daughter was gone.

It is also at that moment that his daughter and her aunt realize just how much they need each other and set out to find Joe. When Joe walks back onto the field, to finish the championship game, he leans down, looks Peyton in the eye, and says with all the sincerity he can muster up, “I have an answer to your question Peyton. Win or lose today, you are the best thing that has ever happened to me.”

I loved this message! I loved the fact that he got it.

Some may say that fairytale endings rarely come true and that having a child doesn’t all of a sudden make life worth living or that having a child doesn’t necessarily put things into perspective. But I can tell you this much, having a child that you love and respect can totally give you a reason to change the way you live your life and having a child that loves you back and brings complete and utter joy to your life—even with all the ups and downs—can make life worth living.

Order The Game Plan today!