Entertainment, Kids

Fun, Football, and Family {What More Can You Want?}

0 Comments 01 September 2011

Family time and family movie nights have long been something after my own heart. I’ll just be honest – there is so much junk on TV these days that it’s hard to find something appropriate for the entire family to watch.

Think about it – creating something appropriate for the whole family to enjoy is harder than you might care to admit. For us that means the following:

  • Not overtly sexual
  • No crude jokes
  • No cursing
  • Not violent

But it also means:

  • Easy for the entire family to follow but…
  • Complex enough for the adults to enjoy
  • Appealing to both boys and girls (we have a 50/50 split)

I mean, honestly. That’s a tall order, is it not? P&G and Walmart have successfully accomplished this yet again, however, with Game Time: Tackling the Past, the newest of the Family Movie Night franchise. You might remember that I visited the set of The Jensen Project, another one of the Family Movie Night movies, back in March of 2010. I’ve enjoyed all of the movies that P&G and Walmart have created so far, and I have been partial to The Jensen Project because of my involvement, but I have to tell you – they have really outdone themselves this time with Game Time: Tackling the Past.

Our family LOVES football — I grew up in the South where Football is in your blood. Even my now 4-year-old daughter has been asking to watch more football since she was barely old enough to talk. I made this video when she was around 17 months old, asking me to put “fut-ball” on the TV. (Sorry it’s so dark, it was one of those moments where I just grabbed my camera!)

Football fans like us will LOVE this movie because it is all about the Football spirit! Check out the synopsis from the official Family Movie Night site:

Pro football star Jake Walker is living the dream… or so he thinks. The veteran tight end is a fan favorite and on pace to set the all-time receiving yards record that will guarantee him a spot in the Hall of Fame. While working out at training camp, Jake receives an unexpected call from his brother Dean – their father Frank has suffered a major heart attack. Jake immediately leaves practice and returns to Riverton, North Carolina, the small hometown he’s avoided for nearly 15 years. Memories of glory and regret flood his mind as he returns to the family and friends he abandoned in pursuit of his career. Jake dutifully visits with Frank and Dean, but hurt and misunderstanding from the past begins to resurface, leaving him counting the days until he can return to his team.

A second unexpected call, this time from his agent, delivers Jake another crushing blow. His contract is not being renewed amid concerns about his surgically repaired knee. Suddenly, the life Jake knows is over. To avoid the media circus around this news, Jake reluctantly decides to extend his stay in Riverton. Attempting to make the best of the situation, he begins reconnecting with the community that once revered him. Jake is reintroduced to Sarah, his high school sweetheart, and helps Dean take over their father’s high school coaching job.

Surprisingly impacted by the people around him, the real Jake begins to emerge from behind his armor to see that life is much more than the accumulation of personal stats. But when Jake’s offered a lucrative new contract to play for another team, he is forced to decide whether to go back to the career he thought he loved, or stay in Riverton and embrace the people who always believed in him.

I was able to watch the movie online and chat throughout the film with one of it’s stars, Catherine Hicks (who you might remember as the mom from Seventh Heaven!). It was so much fun to get the behind-the-scenes peek at the film with her insight, and I can tell you that she, along with the rest of the cast and crew, have personally put so much heart and soul into this film – and it is apparent while you watch it. It is directed by Doug Barr, who also directed The Jensen Project (and is just a totally awesome guy.)

So, if you’re looking for something to watch this Labor Day weekend with the family, check out Game Time: Tackling the Past, which premieres on Saturday, September 3rd on NBC at 8 pm EST/7 pm CST. Also, don’t forget to check out the Family Movie Night Facebook Page for more information!

Disclosure: I wrote this review while participating in a campaign by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of P&G and received a promotional item to thank me for taking the time to participate.

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