Playing for Keeps Directed by: Gabriele Muccino Starring: Gerard Butler, Jessica Biel, Uma Thurman Rating: PG-13 Release Date: December 7, 2012
TRAILER SCORE: 5/10
Thoughts by TSR: Well, Playing for Keeps doesn’t look like worst of the year material. I suppose that is something that should be considered a minor victory considering Gerard Butler’s track record with romantic fare. Butler is actually sort of charming throughout this trailer. Most of that can probably be chalked up to his Scottish accent, but he still has a nice screen presence. Unfortunately, everything else tends to let him down.
I shouldn’t say everything lets him down, at least not in this case. This looks like a perfectly harmless, often likeable romantic picture that has some decent comedy thrown in for good measure. While it’s obvious, I did enjoy the reveal that Butler wasn’t wearing pants while recording his sportscaster tape. But that’s what it all comes back to – obvious. This trailer doesn’t make the film seem like it has a fresh idea in it. It’s mostly standard schmaltz, the same type of story we’ve seen a hundred times over where a guy sees the error in his ways and tries to fix everything with his wife and child.
The worst part of the whole thing is “George Dryer… was a Pro at Soccer… and an Amateur at Life.” The trailer is cliché throughout, but that took it to the next level. As it stands, Playing for Keeps looks pleasant enough. It might make for some decent counter-programming at the end of the year, but I think it’s one I’ll be skipping.