Role Play

e, these are somewhat compensated by the filmmaker's commitment to providing a light-hearted, fun, entertaining movie that aims to offer families a good time without much seriousness." Rating: B-

eir anniversary by hooking up in an hotel bar and pretending that they'd never met before - an opportunity for some good on fashioned courting and a few vodka Martinis. Enter the scene saving Bill Nighy as the ostensibly single old fellow alone in the hotel trying to hit on her. Of course, he's not quite what he seems and a slightly comedic scenario ensues. Sadly, though, thereafter this is all just a standard cat and mouse adventure with loads of set piece out of the frying pan into the fire escapades that gradually draw in her unwitting husband, their children and of course some family baggage from her past courtesy of Connie Nielsen. As ever, the menacing baddies couldn't shoot their way out of a rice-paper bag and her ninja skills become the stuff of "Kung Fu" - only without any sense of mystery or subtlety. The acting is stiff and the dialogue must have taken a few more Martinis to concoct before resorting to the "Janet and John" book of college film scripting. I wonder just how many more deadly killers there are lurking around the suburbs of small American towns! Fills the television screen whilst you're doing the ironing, maybe - it certainly does not need your full concentration!