Film review: Playing for Keeps

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Catherine Zeta-Jones, Dennis Quaid, Director Gabriele Muccino, entertainment, Film Review, Film review: Playing for Keeps, Gerard Butler, James Tupper Matt, Jessica Biel, Judy Greer, movies, Noah Lomax, Playing for Keeps, Uma Thurman

Gerard Butler, Noah Lomax and Jessica Biel in “Playing for Keeps”

George (Gerard Butler) a former international football star (soccer for your Americans) moves to a chic Virginian suburb to be near his son Lewis (Noah Lomax). While he is trying to re-build his relationship with Lewis and win back his ex-wife Stacie (Jessica Biel) he is also desperately struggling to break into sportscasting. Down on his luck and with no money George steps in as his son’s football coach and suddenly becomes the centre of attention, both to male and female parents and the story gets complicated.

Playing for Keeps is a film that can’t make up its mind what its main plot should be.  There are three strands of stories hat never seem to quite twist into one coherent plot. The first is about a washed–up international foot-ball player who tries to redeem himself by becoming the coach of his child’s football team, the second is a bad and very awkward slapstick comedy about MILFS who can’t wait to get their hands on and under their kids hunky Scottish coach’s kit and lastly there is a romantic drama about two people who are still in love but who not sure if love can really conquer all and if family trumps career.

Even the plethora of stars in its cast can’t save this film from being less than middle-of-the-road. Uma Thurman as the horny, revenge-seeking MILF Patti is lacklustre, her jealous, spendthrift husband Carl (Denis Quaid) is like a cartoon. Even the normally enjoyable Judy Greer as the emotional divorcee Barb and sexy Cathreine Zeta-Jones as the queen bee of MILFs Denise don’t give Playing for Keeps a much needed lift.

Overall Playing for Keeps is a forgettable film and one you shouldn’t pay to watch, just another one of Directors Gabriele Muccino’s flops.  But if you really think you need to see Gerard Butler at his worst and spend over 100minutes wondering how much these big stars must have been paid to be part of this film fiasco wait till it’s on TV and you have nothing better to do. Definitely don’t buy the DVD as Playing for Keeps is not worth keeping, or remembering for that matter.

 

holiday hibernation

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healthy-living, home, miscellaneous, random, thoughts

With the 2nd of January just begun it is inevitable that I have to come out of my holiday hibernation and face the mundaness of every day life. And while the year may have changed, much still stays the same, like my pile of end of year corrections I need to tackle.

Sadly Santa’s little helpers didn’t come and dip there upturned shoes into red ink and tap dance their way across the pages for me, which means I now need to spend the day with a red pen in hand. But I still have a few days left before my hectic lecturing hours take over my life again, so I will make sure to enjoy some time everyday reading, writing, knitting and just being.

Another thing my holiday hibernation has left behind is that little sluggish feeling of too many German Christmas cookies and not enough exercise. So with my gym bag packed and runners tied I think I will start the day with a little run, maybe swim but definitely steam. Hopefully I will get back into a routine quickly so that when college starts up again I won’t find it to hard to keep going.

And while my eyes are firmly fixed on the days ahead and my mind is filled with all that needs to be done, my heart yearns a little for the days between Christmas Eve and New Years day. A time where I didn’t need to be anywhere, could do what I pleased and while away the hours in front of the fire. But the lure of the holiday hibernation lies in its unique timing and that it only happens once a year.

So with the next holiday hibernation 358 days away I will keep that wonderfully relaxed feeling tucked away inside of me to be remembered when life gets a little mad and time seems to be running out. And maybe, just maybe, if I’m really good this year Santa’s little helpers will do all my corrections for me next Christmas.