User Reviews

So what are you going to take the kids to see? Legion? This movie was a delight for kids - we were in a packed theater in San Francisco (well, actually Daly City), and the room was half-full of very young kids. Their spontaneous laughter at the slightest nonsense throughout the film was, in its own way, musical. And these reactions, without any "potty humor." I had never seen Rock in a movie, and barely knew who he was. But I do know Julie Andrews and Billy Crystal, and those two are enough to establish the picture's bona fides as cinema. The movie has enough site gags and silly talk to keep the kids involved, and enough in it to let the accompanying adults enjoy the moment too. It was cartoonish in execution and this without the typical special effects hammers usually found in fantasy movies. I enjoyed the hockey scenes, loved that every bad act had a satisfying response.

I do have to laugh at some of the critics who apparently expect Ingmar Bergman touches in all movies, and frown on any non-political movie that doesn't need subtitles (at least to English-speakers). Note to the humorless: this is not high art and was not intended to be. It was a fun and funny send-up of what happens if you let cynicism govern your life and the rewards of reform.

Go! Take the kids!

The first time when 'The Rock' Dwayne Johnson turned into a fairy wearing that pink frock or dress with wings, I was howling with laughter. This man was one of my favourites when I used to watch WWE. He was so strong, menacing and seemed to be so bad and angry all the time. Then he made his foray into Hollywood and he was one of those rare WWE stars who actually had a charm about them. Nobody was more surprised than me when he started to do only Disney kind of films. I didn't think he would last long, but this guy has made it big in PG movies. He truly convinces us that he is not the bad-ass he was made out to be during his wrestling career and he is so genuinely charming. He is not embarrassed to make a fool out of himself and I think he really likes children. He carries the movie on his able shoulders with some help from other good actors. One constant thing about his movies is that he is a jerk in the beginning, who goes on to be a good guy in the end. That may sound boring and tiring, but Dwayne Johnson is genuinely funny in comedic moments and moves our heart in sad situations. So I like him as an actor and I hope he continues to make these kinds of family entertainers.

Derek Thompson (Dwayne Johnson) is a local Ice Hockey player who is quite a celebrity and is nicknamed 'The Toothfairy' for his defending prowess on the field. But he is getting older and younger players are gaining more attention. One of them in particular, Mick Donnelly is rubbing his face in the fact that he is going somewhere in his life, and Derek will be a nobody. Derek has a girlfriend, Carly (Ashley Judd) who has two kids - a girl and a boy. When the girl's tooth breaks, she is excited about the real toothfairy who will take away her tooth and place a dollar under the pillow. Derek doesn't believe one should have dreams as it is highly unlikely that one will achieve their dreams and ultimately will be unhappy. So he tries to give it straight to her, that there are no fairies or any of the other imaginary creatures. Carly saves her daughter from the horrible truth and chides Derek for his stupidity. That night Derek receives a summons from 'The Department of Dissemination of Disbelief' from the Toothfairy Land. He is thrusted upon the job of a toothfairy for two weeks, with a threat to extend the punishment if he doesn't do it with the spirit of a toothfairy. When Derek finds out it wasn't a dream, his life changes drastically.

What were you expecting when you sat down to see this movie? Citizen Kane?! Just enjoy the movie for what it is and stop grumbling about the inconsistencies of the movie. Hollywood is obsessed in making movies for kids which are way too sweet and saccharine and totally unreal. Though the premise of this movie about a man getting the job of a fairy is also unreal, it is actually quite good. The kids, though cute, are not exactly over the top sweet. The movie, as with all kid movies, has the moral that one should dream and not get dragged down by others who tell you that you are no good. Dwayne Johnson is believable as the jerk (somewhat sensitive, but still a jerk) and the transformed good hearted man. I really liked the scene where Derek imitates Dracula for the little girl, there are lots of sweet moments. The boy is a normal kid who doesn't have interest in anything other than music and girls. He doesn't like Derek, but Derek makes a deal with the boy to impress Carly. The toothfairy kit he's given; with the invisible spray and amnesia dust among other things is cool. Tracy (Stephen Merchant), the caseworker in Toothfairy Land is also funny, but I must say Julie Andrews is wasted as the fairy Godmother. I saw this with my younger cousins and they absolutely loved it. Recommended to everyone who like the Disney movies of this genre.

7/10

TOOTH FAIRY. The ex-wrestler and action movie star formerly known as "The Rock" has turned to making kiddie friendly films. The rot started with Disney's The Game Plan, so I was not sure what to expect from his latest film Tooth Fairy. But it was surprisingly enjoyable. Dwayne Johnson plays Derek Thompson, a minor league ice hockey player who has earned the nickname "The Tooth Fairy" because of his aggressive style of play that often leaves opposition players bleeding a missing a tooth. But Derek is something of a cynic and he ruthlessly crushed the dreams of many young fans asking for advice. But when he tells his girl friend's young daughter that there is no such thing as the tooth fairy, he is in for a rude awakening. He is summonsed to Fairy Land, and sentenced to serve two weeks as a real tooth fairy. He is issued with his own wand, wings and blue tights, which lead to some embarrassing moments for the macho man. Derek is shown the rules of his job by his handler Tracy (Stephen Merchant, from the UK version of The Office, etc), who himself yearns to become a fairy one day. At first Derek is reluctant to take his role seriously, but eventually he warms to his task and by the end of his tenure he is a changed man, and has even rediscovered his own forgotten dreams. Thompson also has to deal with the brash young new star of his hockey team (played by skateboarding champ Ryan Scheckler), with whom he establishes a rivalry. A number of writers have fashioned the screenplay, but it has been further polished by veterans Lowell Ganz and Babaloo Mandel, the pair whose previous films include Night Shift, Splash, City Slickers, etc. While it may not be their best effort it does provide some cheap laughs and a few good gags. The sight of Johnson in wings and a tutu is quite funny. In the past Johnson has shown himself to be both a good sport and quite adept at light comedy, with roles in films like Be Cool and Get Smart that allow him to play against type. Who else would you cast as the stern but ultimately soft-hearted fairy godmother but Julie Andrews? She is perfectly cast here and is wonderfully prim and proper and straight laced, and her appearance helps us swallow this premise. Billy Crystal also has a small role as the provider of various potions that Derek may find useful. He is to fairies what Q is to James Bond, but he has rarely been this funny for ages. Director Michael Lembeck is a veteran of television, but he has also directed the two Santa Clause sequels and is familiar with this mix of fantasy and wish fulfillment. Tooth Fairy delivers some positive messages about the importance of dreams and childhood innocence amongst the laughs and the special effects. It's a film that holds something to appeal for all ages.

I saw a few clips and images of this film, I assumed it was going to be rubbish and poorly rated by critics, but to be honest, I would have probably given it a go even if it was, from director Michael Lembeck (The Santa Clause 2, The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause). Basically minor league hockey player Derek Thompson (Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson) is a small celebrity nicknamed the "Tooth Fairy", because of his reputation for hitting opposing players so hard he knocks out their teeth, but he is getting older and new younger players are gaining more attention, particularly Mick Donnelly (Ryan Sheckler) who rubs his nose in the fact Derek will be a nobody. Derek has girlfriend Carly Harris (Ashley Judd), she has two children, six year old daughter Tess (Destiny Grace Whitlock) and teenage son Randy (Chase Ellison), Tess has a loose tooth under her pillow for the real tooth fairy to leave a dollar for, Derek does not believe anyone should have dreams as he thinks they never come true, he almost blurts out that there is no such thing as the tooth fairy, but Carly stops him just in time, she is upset that he would think of spoiling her child's imagination. Later that night Derek finds a summons under his pillow from The Department of Dissemination of Disbelief, from Tooth Fairy Land, then he magically grows wings and is transported to this magical world, there he meets his case worker Tracy (Stephen Merchant) and the head fairy Lily (Dame Julie Andrews), she tells him he is a "dream crusher" and has unsympathetic dealings with children, so as punishment he has to serve two weeks as a tooth fairy. He wakes up, but this experience was no a dream, Jerry (Billy Crystal) gives him the necessary tools, "Shrinking Paste" to shrink down to six inches for one hour, "Invisible Spray" to be invisible for a short time, "Amnesia Dust" to make someone for events from a few seconds, "Cat Away" to scare cats, and "Dog Bark Peppermints" to make someone speak in dog barks. Derek has no choice but to carry out his tooth fairy duties whenever he is called, he is given the address of a child whose tooth has fallen out, it is his task to take the tooth from under the pillow and leave a dollar, of course he does not do so in the conventional way for a while, and his lack of commitment and things in his own personal life are creating problems. Slowly though, after some mucking about to make himself feel better and some tinkering in fairy matters Derek does learn to change his ways, he becomes accustomed to the good side of being a tooth fairy, and he bonds with Randy who wants to impress at a talent contest, there is the point though when everything becomes too much and things go wrong, and he snaps. In the end though Derek makes up for his mistakes, he completes his time as a tooth fairy, and Tracy achieves his dream of becoming a tooth fairy himself, Derek is forced to forget all his experiences and say goodbye to the magic world, but he still keeps the memory of believing in dreams, including seeing Randy gain a standing ovation at his talent show, and Derek proposes to Carly who accepts. Also starring Seth MacFarlane as Ziggy and Big Mommas: Like Father, Like Son's Brandon T. Jackson as Duke. I agree Johnson is not much of an actor, but he is indeed likable as the washed up ice hockey player who learns the error of his ways in a daft way, the supporting cast are all alright as well, especially Merchent in his first big film role, and Andrews, Judd and Crystal get their moments. You could argue that this film is ridiculous and full of annoying sentimentality, but once you get into the swing of it you cannot help but giggle at the appropriate moments, it has some funny slapstick humour for all ages, and the special effects are pretty good for the magical stuff, a surprisingly pleasant fantasy comedy. Worth watching!