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The newly titled Playing For Keeps (formerly Playing The Field) remains set for a December 7 wide release from FilmDistrict, which acquired the title at the 2011 Cannes Film Festival. The Nu Image/Millennium Films comedy stars Gerard Butler as a retired soccer pro who, burnt out on his playboy lifestyle and bankrupt, moves back to Virginia to reconnect with his estranged ex-wife (Jessica Biel) and son (Noah Lomax). He starts to coach the boys’ soccer team but is tested by the sexy soccer moms and desperate housewives he must deal with. Judy Greer, Dennis Quaid, Uma Thurman and Catherine Zeta-Jones also star. Gabriele Muccino directed the Robbie Fox screenplay.
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The originality and imagination astounds.
Reminds me of the Weinsteins failing at writing and directing. At least Bob Shaye did more than one movie.
Actually, the director for this one, also directed Pursuit of Happyness. Gerard has described it as reminding him a bit of Dear
Frankie, a lovely Scottish movie about a deaf boy, that he made in 2004. He has only made two rom coms, both made money, although they were not great quality. PS I Love You has humor, but is not a rom com, as it is about a grieving widow. Coriolanus was Shakespeare, and in Machine Gun Preacher he made it worth seeing. The only problem for Machine Gun Preacher is that the distributor, completely 100% dropped the ball in PR, advertising and distribution. They put all their money into Immortals…and similar films. The head of that company was once a good friend of Butler’s.
Gerard butler’s career is in terminal decline if he doesn’t do something decent quick.
His main issue: guys don’t like him. We know he’s a jerk and he’s not cool enough to overcome that.
Yes “300″ is the exception. It’s now obvious that its the exception to his entire career.
not true – PS I LOVE YOU he was very likable. Truth is he is not a jerk, and really actually a pleasure to work with
Yeah in PS I Love You he played a man who mailed instructions to his girlfriend from beyond the grave. What’s not to love about a control freak?
Why don’t guys like him? They sure seem to be his fans, he gives lots of autographs, and takes pics, and quite a few are male. He is not a jerk either, would love to know what that is based on? lol. His fans have seen every interview, read all the articles, and he seems generous, loving with his Scottish family, very well liked by co stars and all the people on sets, according to reports.
He does have a Scottish, ribald sense of humor, very earthy. Perhaps that is what you mean?
He devotes time and money to several charities. His only issue, he likes women, or as Jennifer Aniston put it once, to his great embarrassment: all of them. So he seldom stays long with one.
Geez, somebody please drag GB out of the romcom sewer. He’s so good when he’s not trying to be funny.
Loved him in Rock N’ Rolla.
Lusted after in him 300… Must he constantly be cast in parts that require clothing?
Everyone bashing Butler for being a male Jennifer Aniston and living in the romcom sewer need to step back and get a little perspective: his last two films were MACHINE GUN PREACHER and CORIALANUS, which say what you will about them were bold choices that couldn’t be any less-romish. Hardly anyone saw these movies — if you were Butler or his people what lessons do you draw from that? Especially when you compare with the box office gross of UGLY TRUTH and BOUNTY HUNTER?
And he’s following up CORIALANUS and MACHINE GUN PREACHER with MOTOR CITY and OLYMPUS HAS FALLEN, honestly the dude is obviously not spending all his time in the romcom sewer.
Jennifer Aniston wouldn’t be caught dead in a movie like CORIALANUS.
I hope the title (both, actually) and the plot aren’t indicative of how formulaic it actually is. Butler’s career is in danger of heading into Matthew McConaughey territory- a talented actor killing his career with bad movie after bad movie.
I like Butler, and had high hopes for him after first seeing him in Dear Frankie, but the choices he’s made since then have been pretty bad, considering he should be getting his choice of projects.
First time in recorded history that Matthew McConaughey and “talented actor” have been mentioned in the same sentence. Alright, Alright…
A new name won’t change tripe into gold.
Gerard Butler is super talented…he just needs a new Agent/Manager that will help him select better scripts to act in.
Having watched him from his early uK career let me tell you: he is not even remotely talented. He’s a hunk, yes. Let’s leave it at that.
And he’s in the romcom sewer because guys don’t like him enough to watch him in anything else.
Sometimes people just have to say something just because it gives them a bit of a puff up; they really have no facts. He is quite talented, but sometimes his movie choices are for fun or not so good, I agree, but that is not the bulk of them. I have seen his early UK career, and thought he was pretty good for no training and little experience.
He is not in a rom com sewer. Two out of many, many films is not many. The Director of this soccer film did the excellent Pursuit of Happyness, he is Italian, so his perspective on humor will be very different from that of Hollywood in general. His other film, Chasing Mavericks, for which he almost died, in his pursuit of realism, is definitely not a rom-com. He plays the mentor to Jay Moriarity, a young surfer, who died young but inspired many.
By the way, Law Abiding Citizen is a very popular guy flick in the US. Young men often like Gamer. He made a nice film about soccer called The Game of their Lives, set in the 50s, that many enjoy. Men seem to like Beowulf & Grendel.
Not sure what the “men don’t like him” is about, tho perhaps it is his looks? He is considered the masculine ideal by women around the world. He has active fan clubs in many countries, including Russia. He is fun in his real life as well, has a lot of energy, humor and general joie de vivre.
Well a lot of these film failed to make their money back, so it appears they don’t like him that much.
I agree,,, Gerry is a great actor,,, just not getting the good roles..
Nice one
Another rom-com. He is the male Jennifer Aniston now. This guy needs a new agent. Desperately.
His agent is a genius. The guy is still working.
Butler is letting his career slide in these horrible romcoms. He needs another 300 to prop him up.
Well, from a female viewpoint I can’t get enough of this attorney turned actor. How is he a jerk? It’s not like he’s some closet Christian Slater berating film crews and in love with himself.
Changing the title won’t change this movie. They need to start from scratch, rework the script, and even then, I’m not so sure the movie is fixable. It was a mess when I saw it.
Gerard Butler is one of the greatest talents around. That means he can turn his hand to anything. As did Alec Guiness and Laurence Olivier. Alec did The Man in the White Flannel suit and then turned around and played the icon role of Fagin in Oliver Twist. Got to be able to act anything and Gerry does a great job. From PS I Love You to Coriolanus. Both an Absolute
delight. The man is tremendous. Excellent Mr Butler keep at it. Make me laugh Make me cry. I applaud everytime and love going to the movies because your so special. Hurray for Gerry. Love him.
Joan ( hug) xxxx
Haven’t any of you see “Coriolanus”? Butler was fantastic in that. Oh wait, I forgot….it’s Shakespeare so most people refused to watch it. Treat yourselves – it’s a brilliant adaptation.
Gerard Butler is a good actor, but much prettier to look at!
300 was great! So was RocknRolla & Machine Gun Preacher. I say he needs a good dictation coach and now has the money to do more artsy/independent films. OR sell out like alot of his peers have! INCLUDING such GREAT actors like Robert DeNiro, Morgan Freeman, and Anthony Hopkins!!!
Gerard Butler puts his heart into what ever he does. Machine Gun Preacher was never distributed correctly nor was Coriolanus which was excellent and he had a very solid roll. I do believe he needs new representation however he is also dedicated to the people who have been with him so we will never see that happening.
Oh darling, he was totally awful in the first and out of his depth in Coriolanus
Oh, you’re mistaken…First of all, I loved “The Ugly Truth”..and it made 210 million…I loved all of his other movies, too. And he is admired by men, too. Men want to be lik, him, and women want to hold him. Gerar’s movies have made more than a billion dollars…did you know that+ And…he has the most wide range of characters of anyone in Hollywood. I think it’s the Emperor’s new clothes” syndrome…One or two critics blast him, and all the sheep follow sit. People like rom-coms…people like formulaic fillms….Get off your high horse!
Machine Gun Preacher made 0.5M. His billion days are long gone
I like him in rom/coms, we need a hunky leading man to do them, Men love the action movies, and hate rom/coms.. no surprise you guys hate him in them. but come on, clearly you didn’t see Coriolanus, although not my favorite, he was great, and in Machine Gun, he made us all feel the pain Sam Childers felt, he lived it, breathed it and shared it. I’m a new Gerry fan, Having recently seen Phantom and couldn’t believe it was him in that role, I mean 300? Phantom???? seriously he’s not afraid to take a chance, people just don’t get it. They see that face and body and assume that is all he has to offer.. their loss. I’ve seen alot of his older films, some were good, some were not, and sorry, but The ugly truth was hysterical…clearly made for women…Cheesy? maybe, but really now, how cheesey are we? Arguing over his career.. I doubt he’s making comments on ours on a facebook pages….lol
The Ugly Truth was for women? It’s misogynist crap.
The ugly truth indeed is that he is very talented..whether critics like it or not. He did a fantastic job in Phantom of the Opera for someone who was not a trained singer at all. He can play a mean mofo, a hero, a male ho or your ideal man. But I say with a sigh and regret, I really wish he would get a freaking effective speech coach as his irish accent in P.S. I love you was abhorring and as much as I love a great scotch er scot…his scottish accent is abundantly obvious when playing an american role.
Changing your linguistic patterns is not an easy task, but I’d happily volunteer to help him.
That being said actors are put under the same pressure to comply to market trends as anyone else is who is in the retail trade. Being an actor is 10 percent art and 90 percent retail these days. Studios do not spend millions on ‘art projects’ so many actors are forced to take ‘retail friendly’ films because no one wants to produce ‘non-retail friendly’ films. Greed across the board, Hollywood is certainly no exception.
Ha ha! I totally agree about that horrible Irish accent. He sounded like Mr. Krabs from Sponge Bob Square Pants.
The gossip on here would make even the best Southern girl blush. Maybe Butler is just having fun exploring the different genres of his career? Maybe he’s doing the money-making romcom thing in order to produce and/or act in the less popular but intellectually heftier projects? Not all in the industry are in it for the awards you know. He’s multi-talented and has a variety of films under his belt. A well-rounded actor with something to offer every critic.
And that something he offers every critic is a big, bloated target. He’s not even a hunk nowadays
Another female view, I love his rom-cons (as you guys) are referring to and I will add, he did an awesome job in Machine Gun Preacher but why was it released in “selected theaters”? And the only place you can find the DVD is on amazon. I agree, he needs better representation. And he BLOWS Mathew McConaughey out of the water!!!!!
Machine Gun Preacher is for sale at Walmart and other retailers, and is available to rent at Redbox and Vudu.
It’s at Target for $20. I drove 45 miles to see it on South Denver, and I can say this it was awesome and the man brought it to the screen. One of his best performances to date!
The whole select theatres miffed me a bit tho. Sounded like the whole thing was a side project that they figured wouldn’t do that well. I am just glad he’s not going the super hero circuit that some of the other action actors are.
Still waiting for Burns tho!
I find it funny how everyone is a critic…can the ones who say he should not do romcom act…I am a big fan, and have not liked all his movies, but do admire the fact that he tries all kinds of roles. And the way he mixes them up…ugly truth, bounty hunter and Gamer..Coriolanus awesome, and Machine Gun Preacher was OMG!!!! As for his accent, I love his Scot voice, and most of us are not linguists so we dont care if his accent in PS I Love You was not a true Irish brogue..He is an actor and is an actor who goes his own way, did you ever think that maybe he is in acting because it is his passion, and not as much for the money?
Nobody cares about this guy except his middle-aged fangirls…
Feel better now? I have seen the type of woman who throw themselves at him, almost literally, when he arrives anywhere, and they are not middle-aged fangirls. Beautiful women fall over themselves to get next to him…he lives an interesting life!
Your inability to acknowledge that he has made a bad movie, despite a a roster of stinkers just reeks of middle aged fan girl.
Agree 100%. I cannot get enough of Gerard Butler. Seems there’s been a dry spell the last few years. Glad to hear we have some films to look forward to by year’s end.
While we’re talking movies he was good in…don’t forget Phantom of the Opera. He was amazing and especially so when you think that he isn’t a singer first and foremost, yet he carried the part admirably. I also liked him in Lara Croft. He was a very suave “James Bond” type character. It’s obvious he is trying all kinds of genre and he brings his best each time.
Gerard Butler can’t even open a can of peas right now