Story Films
Andy Griffith, Paul Campbell, Doris Roberts, Marla Sokoloff, Liz Sheridan, Clint Howard, Rance Howard, Geoffrey Owens, Juliette Jeffers
This is the story of 3 guys. David Mitchell (Paul Campbell) is the son who sells cars for his grumpy Dad, Dick (Clint Howard). David is a player. He’s a real car salesman who can talk people into anything by playing the game. He treats the ladies the same way, but inside he’s a pretty good guy. He’s taking care of his grandpa, Joe (Andy Griffith) who lives in a nursing home and who wants to learn from David how to be a player and make it with the girls in the home. But David meets Julie Larabee (Marla Sokoloff) who steals his heart, but his player games makes it tough, as she can’t believe anything he says. In the end, it may be Grandpa Joe who is teaching David how to treat a girl.
This is kind of a cute film, but it is a little odd how they played it. It’s really a theatrical film, but it sounds like a Hallmark Channel made for TV film, except it’s surprisingly raunchy. It’s kind of uncomfortable watching Andy Griffith in this role, as he plays a sweet grandpa who gets involved in some nasty stuff! I understand Andy is a comedian, and a damn funny one, but he’s still Opie’s Dad and so this is just uncomfortable. The two stars are pretty well matched. Marla Sokoloff is really sweet and it’s easy to see why he fell for her. Meanwhile, Paul Campbell is perfect as a jerky manipulator who has a heart of gold and just needs to grow up. Doris Roberts is cool, as always, as Julie’s Grandma, and is a bit of a player herself. The interaction between her and Grandpa Joe is just hilarious.
So it’s not a terrible movie, but it is a little bit strange. Still it was worth watching as a Netflix Watch Instantly. I recommend it if you don’t mind a dose of saccharine mixed with some good hearted raunch. The ending is a bit of a surprise, then as Andy dances in during the credits for a little extra at the very end of the credits is fun.
EdG – EdsReview Dot Com – A Movie Review Blog
Movie Review - Play the Game (2009) {PG-13},
