The Game Plan

Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson's once-promising career as an action-movie star seems to be dissolving, as witness this kiddie-oriented comedy from director Andy Fickman. Here, The Rock plays Joe Kingman, a narcissistic pro quarterback for the Boston Rebels, whose lavish lifestyle—fueled by endorsement deals—is suddenly complicated by the abrupt arrival of his previously unknown eight-year-old daughter Peyton (Madison Pettis). Predictable complications ensue as Joe's life is upended and the responsibilities of parenthood force him to become a better person. Pettis is adorable, even if her cuteness becomes cloying rather quickly, and she makes a good foil for the erstwhile wrestler, who isn't afraid to poke fun at his tough-guy image in a series of corny, self-deprecating gags. While there's nothing here you haven't seen before, The Game Plan has been expertly assembled and plays out smoothly, making it halfway decent fun for the preteen set. Optional. [Note: DVD extras include nine deleted scenes with optional intros by director Andy Fickman (21 min.), a 20-minute “Drafting the Game Plan” behind-the-scenes featurette, the fictitious bio featurette “The King in Search of a Ring” with ESPN's Stuart Scott (5 min.), “The Rock Learns to Play QB” featurette with ESPN's Sean Salisbury (4 min.), three minutes of bloopers with Marv Albert, a “Peyton's Makeover Madness” set-top feature that allows viewers to change the DVD menu, and trailers. Bottom line: a solid extras package for a so-so Disney live-actioner.] (E. Hulse)