THE Game Plan is another one of those stories - Man With Everything thrown off orbit by Unexpected Child. Superstar quarterback Joe Kingman (Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson) is living the life. He's a hunky rich bachelor surrounded by gorgeous women, adoring fans and teammates - all the glamour that goes with being a sports hero.

Joe "The King" Kingman is one step away from being a football legend, that's if he can lead his team The Boston Rebels to win the coveted championship cup. His life is derailed by the eight-year-old daughter Peyton (Madison Pettis) he never knew existed. Thrust into fatherhood, Joe struggles to find space in his life and his heart for his daughter. It's all new for him.

Joe's life revolves around him and the personal mythology he's built about himself, Joe Kingman the Football Legend. But his swanky bachelor pad, which doubles as a personal shrine, does not hide his lonely moments. When Peyton moves in for a month, Joe finds his life altered to revolve around bedtime stories, ballet classes, dolls and Bedazzler rhinestones.

Some of the nicer moments in the movie are the hilarious interactions between adorable little Peyton, Joe's uptight agent Stella (Kyra Sedgwick) and the over-enthusiastic nanny. The way Joe's teammates adore the kid also scores some Hallmark points. The transformation from egomaniacal Joe "The King" Kingman into the sweet new Dad fit for a Disney movie is not too painful to watch.

'Wrestler' and 'ballet'

For me, the biggest highlight (and most magnificent shocker) was seeing the former pro-wrestler in a one-piece green spandex costume dancing ballet! Never thought you'd see the words 'wrestler' and 'ballet' in the same sentence, did ya? The ballet performance featuring Roselyn Sanchez (Rush Hour 3) as Peyton's ballet teacher is beautifully choreographed, unperturbed by the presence of a certain awkward tree in green spandex.

Of course there's a lie and a medical emergency before the inevitable twist. Something needs to happen for the father-daughter reunion and to final victory. The obvious moral of the story is that family matters more than money and fame.

The Game Plan

is worth watching if you're looking for a feel good family movie with good values, clean jokes and a teary ending. It is also worth a go if you are a staunch fan of The Rock who doesn't mind sitting through two hours of his bulging biceps and million-dollar smile. Otherwise, it's excruciating. We've seen enough of these stories on sitcoms and soap operas, spare the theatres!

Why muscle men take on these sappy roles remains a mystery. It amounts to career suicide. It's difficult to think of Vin Diesel without seeing the nanny suit they put on him in The Pacifier. I don't know how I'm going to erase the image of The Graceful Rock.

The Game Plan opens Jan 10 in theatres nationwide.