Review: Playing for Keeps is a by-the-book romance

Film: Playing for Keeps
Director: Gabriele Muccino
Cast: Gerard Butler, Jessica Biel, Uma Thurman, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Dennis Quaid
Rating: *1/2

Circumstance and immaturity drive a wedge between once-famous footballer George (Butler) and his former life and former wife Stacie (Biel).

Taking up a job as the coach of his son Lewis's football team, he hangs on the hope of becoming a sportscaster. But this, and chances of reconciliation with his wife are slim with the mothers of the students in his team inexplicably throwing themselves at him.

While being an awfully predictable by-the-book romance, Playing for Keeps lacks the emotional resonance which is crucial to such an endeavour.

Thanks to the writing and his acting, Butler, whom none can identify with, fails to inspire any admiration or sympathy. For all his juvenile behaviour that is irksome to Stacie, he barely amuses. While Biel plays the role of a strong woman to a tee, Zeta-Jones, Thurman and Greer's characters as needy, sex-starved leeches, invite irritation and scorn since neither of them have a sliver of motivation to let George ravage them. Quaid delivers an over-the-top performance playing the slimey palm-greasing father of one of Lewis's teammates.

Avoid insipid mellow-drama Playing for Keeps. It is unoriginal, uninteresting and unengaging.