Tooth Fairy

Dwayne Johnson proves once again, that he is more than just muscles. And his eyebrow of course. He can jump from action into a kids movie just like that. Something a few stars in the 80s had big problems with (at least commercially speaking). And this movie delivers. It never set out to be, the best movie in the world. It is there to entertain. And entertain it does. The viewing experience get enhanced if you watch it with teenagers or kids. They will just love the movie. And so will you, if you watch it with them. Of course it is very predicable and it has a few other flaws too. But the charisma of Dwayne, the wit of Merchant and the overall good design of the movie, might make you forget about that. Just relax, sit back and enjoy.

Derek (Dwayne The Rock Johnson), aka "The Tooth Fairy", is a minor league hockey player who got his nickname by decking the opposing team during games. Sometimes teeth come loose during this rough play, get it? Once a rising star in the "bigs", a long ago injury dampened Derek's confidence and, anyway, he seems to like his present status as a big fish in a little pond. He also has a beautiful girlfriend, Carly (Ashley Judd), a divorcée with a teenage son and pre-teen daughter. It is Derek's wish to make friends with the kids but, so far, things aren't going well. Quiet son Randy doesn't like him at all while daughter Tess is wishy-washy. When Tess loses a tooth, Derek almost spills the beans that there is no real Tooth Fairy but Carly intervenes before any damage is done. However, the fairies have been watching Derek and the Supreme Fairy (Julie Andrews) summons him to Magicland. The fairies don't like anyone messing with children's dreams. So, SF sentences the hockey star to Tooth Fairy duty for a week...or more, depending on his attitude. Can this be happening? Yes! An older fairy (Billy Crystal) gives Derek his new tools: disappearing dust, shrinking paste, dog-and-cat alarms, and more. Also, a "helper" fairy, Tracy (Stephen Merchant) is assigned to watch over Derek's case. Naturally, the hockey star is dismayed when, in the middle of games and his dates with Carly, he is suddenly asked to visit kids' homes and collect the teeth. How can he survive this ordeal? This is a cute movie that starts off a bit slow but gains strength. The reason, mostly, for its eventual success is the fine cast. Johnson is wonderful as the look-at-me hockey star while Judd, Andrews, Crystal, Merchant and the others are very nice, too. Then, too, the production is lovely, with great costumes, sets, artistry and photography. What is more average in nature is the script, which is almost "too cute" for its own good and the tentative direction, especially at the beginning. However, toothfully, go see it, do, all of you who like to share movies as a family. It may have some shortcomings but it is still a funny, feel-good kind of flick.