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Movie Review - Man of the House (2005)
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(What this rating means)
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| Director: |
Stephen Herek |
| Starring: |
Tommy Lee Jones, Vanessa Ferlito, Monica Keena, and Kelli Garner |
| Rated: |
PG-13 (for violence, sexual content, crude humor and a drug reference) |
| Length: |
97 minutes |
| Genre: |
Action/Comedy |
| Tagline: |
Protecting witnesses is a challenge. Living with them is impossible. |
| Studio: |
Sony Pictures |
| Website: |
Man of the House |
| Release: |
February 25, 2005 |
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PLOT
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When a group of cheerleaders witness a murder, a grizzled Texas Ranger (Jones) is put in charge of
protecting them. Typical Cranky Old Man Vs. Bubbly Young Girls hijinks ensue.
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JOHNNY'S TAKE
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There are movies that come out of nowhere, completely enrapture us, and have us singing their praises to anybody
who will listen. Movies that will stand the test of time and be added to most DVD collections. Other movies
(Alone in the Dark) appear in our theaters only briefly, and much like
Funyon-induced flatulence, they stink up the joint and then disappear as quickly as they came. Then there are
movies like Man of the House. They come, they moderately entertain, but they really don't add anything
fresh or new to the industry. They simply manage to keep you smiling for an hour and a half before making their
way to the Wal-Mart bargain bin.
The generically cheesy title (Man of the House? Come on!) should immediately warn you that we're not
exactly diving into uncharted waters. No towing the line will be allowed here! But that's OK. Sure, the
movie is by-the-numbers, predictable, silly, and whatever other clichéd buzz words you want to use for a movie
that's not brimming with originality. It's a pretty simple mix really: we've got Jones, some hot cheerleaders
to look at, and a few laughs. Fortunately, I like Jones and hot cheerleaders. And you know what? I laughed!
I didn't have to see a doctor about my busted gut afterwards, but I was entertained, and sometimes that's enough
to satisfy me on a Friday afternoon.
This is a fun, cutesy, fluffy movie that bases most of its jokes on the contrast of Tommy Lee Jones' no-nonsense,
non-joking persona with the bubbly personalities of five college cheerleaders who don't appreciate his rules.
Of course, this means they will do their best to rebel a bit. For example, they continue to dress scantily despite
Jones' insistence that they try to wear a few more articles of clothing. No problem. TLJ just purchases an
extremely expensive air conditioner to force them to cover up. It may cost the Texas Rangers a few thousand
dollars, but it'll teach those girls a lesson in modesty!
In a surprising twist that is bound to shake the very foundations of cinema as we know it, the gals grow to like
TLJ despite his leather tough exterior. They really want to help him discover his inner sensitivity because
let's face it, when you look like a piece of beef jerky you need all the help you can get. So when TLJ
has a big date with one of the cheerleaders' professors (Anne Archer), they swoop in to trim his nose and ear hair,
give him a manicure, and tidy him up. All the middle-aged women who love Tommy Lee Jones and his Southern drawl go
awwwwwwwwwwwwwwww! And the scene where the cheerleaders help teach Jones how to skate is also sure to make those
elderly female hearts flutter. I won't spoil it for you and tell you whether he falls or not. I'll give you the joy
of finding out for yourself.
Then of course there are the jokes that play to the stereotype of some cheerleaders not being too bright. When
Jones announces that he's with the Texas Rangers, one of the cheerleaders excitedly asks, "Do you know Derek
Jeter?" Some people will find moments like this to be stupid, while others (such as my mother and sister) will
think they're absolutely adorable.
The best advice I can give you is to picture in your mind Tommy Lee Jones living with five cheerleaders. How
funny is the image to you? Let that be your guide. If you don't like TLJ, then there's not much here for
you because he's responsible for keeping this from being a made-for-TV movie that I probably wouldn't have had
any interest in watching.
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ODDS & ENDS
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- The working title was Cheer Up.
- Is the first movie allowed to use the full and actual name of the University of Texas at Austin. I can't
think of a more irrelevant or useless fact than that.
- Johnny first developed an attraction to Monica Keena when she starred on the unfairly cancelled
Undeclared.
- I have yet to hear about any cheerleaders boycotting this movie because of its unfair stereotypes regarding
dumb cheerleaders.
- For some reason, Mrs. Shade is a huge mark for movies involving cheerleaders. She loves Bring It On
and Sugar & Spice. Man of the House is no exception. After the movie she stated that she couldn't
wait to get it on DVD. Mr. Shade responded, "I wouldn't go that far, but it was enjoyable." Johnny Betts just
shook his head and laughed.
- Vanessa Ferlito can be seen as the poochy-lipped crime scene investigator on CSI: New York.
- R. Lee Ermey has a small role.
- Cedric the Entertainer also has a small role. Parts of his scenes were funny, while other parts were a little
too over-the-top. Plus, I refuse to give much review time to someone who adds "the Entertainer" to his name.
- Tommy Lee Jones was in Lonesome Dove with Frederic Forrest who was in an episode of The
Young Riders ('Til Death Do Us Part) with Josh Brolin who was in Hollow Man with
Kevin Bacon.
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MAMA'S APPROVAL
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The content isn't too bad, but there is a handful of profanity and a few sexual references that
might make mama a little uncomfortable. There's no nudity, but the cheerleaders are scantily
dressed at times. This is most appropriate for those over 13.
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TRAILER COMPARISON
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Come on, did the trailer absolutely blow you away? If so, then you're obviously very easily
entertained. That's good though because it means you'll love the movie. Basically, your
opinion of the trailer will most likely translate over into your opinion of the movie.
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THE GIST
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Man of the House isn't exactly a movie to get excited about, but it provides enough laughs to keep
its head above water. If you like Tommy Lee Jones (or hot cheerleaders) and you thought the trailer looked
halfway decent then this is a serviceable matinee (or a future rental). Otherwise, you probably won't find
it worth your time.
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