It's the only new offering in discount theaters this week. It wasn't worth full price on the first run, and isn't much better at a discount. ---

Playing for Keeps brings us Gerard Butler attempting once again to ingratiate audiences into his romantic-leading-man charms, even if the only function of the movie is really to make sure we find him pleasant enough that we'll consider seeing his next movie as a romantic leading man. He plays an ex-pro-soccer player and divorced dad named George Dryer, who moves back to be near his ex-wife (Jessica Biel) and son, eventually coaching his son's soccer team. What follows is a setup that has nowhere to take George as a character, throwing plenty of soggy farce at him until it all finally dribbles to a conclusion. But hey, at least we don't have to listen to Butler chewing on his consonants in an attempt to simulate an American accent.