Playing for Keeps (3/5/2013)

Rated PG-13 for some sexual situations, language and a brief intense image.

Starring Gerard Butler, Jessica Biel, Uma Thurman, Catherine Zeta-Jones and Dennis Quaid

Directed by Gabriele Muccino (Seven Pounds and The Pursuit of Happyness)

You can “keep” this one.

Playing For Keeps is a romantic comedy about a charming, down-on-his luck former soccer star (Butler) who returns home to put his life back together. Looking for a way to rebuild his relationship with his son, he gets roped into coaching the boy’s soccer team. But his attempts to finally become an “adult” are met with challenges from the attractive “soccer moms” who pursue him at every turn.

Let’s start with a couple things that I did enjoy about the movie. There were a few funny lines and I like most of the actors… honestly that’s about it.

Jonathan and I have often talked about two major negatives within movies today: “Imitatable behavior” and the film’s message. There really isn’t a need to talk about imitatable behavior, but this film’s message is appalling. Every marriage in the movie is dysfunctional. Everyone is cheating and every soccer mom throws herself at George. It’s embarrassing.

Another issue I have is the message that is being communicated by the choice of the actors in the film. George, played by Gerard Butler, is 44 and his ex-wife is played by Jessica Biel (31). All the other “soccer moms” that he has affairs with are in their 40’s. Besides being pretty unbelievable, I’m just not sure what the filmmakers were trying to communicate to us, but it was unsettling.

I was hoping for a fun date movie with my wife, instead I got nothing but trash. I say “Skip It.”

SHOULD KIDS SEE IT?
When we picked this movie up at Redbox it actually said “family” above the title… Playing for Keeps is far from a family movie. There is a lot of crude talk throughout and just about every female in the movie throws herself at the George. ?

There are several scenes of kissing and implied sex – several times the women are barely dressed.

There are 15 S-words and several other profanities.

CONVERSATION STARTER

1. As you look at George’s life, would you say he has made good decisions or poor decisions? Why?


2. What were some of the poor decisions he made in the movie?


3. Read Proverbs 11:14
   Where there is no guidance, a people falls, but in an abundance of counselors there is safety.

   This verse gives us advice on how to not be like George. What is that advice?



4. Who are the counselors in your life?


5. What can you do this week to gain more guidance from those counselors?