The top movies currently in theaters feature killer robots, evil fairies, zombies and psychotic clowns, leaving a welcome space for something family-friendly like Playing With Fire.
No, this movie isn’t for everyone. Those without kids or who aren’t kids themselves probably won’t find it appealing. But there aren’t many comedies currently in theaters, either. So if you’re looking for laughs — even cheap, juvenile ones — and a tug on your feelings, you could find some entertainment here.
John Cena leads a team of smokejumpers (firefighters who parachute or rope-jump via helicopter into blazes inaccessible by truck) who suddenly find themselves needing to care for three children rescued from a cabin fire. As you can guess, tough-guy firefighters who fearlessly leap into blazes can’t handle kids playing with hoses and flare guns indoors. And you know diaper changes will be a problem.
That’s the entire joke, one that director Andy Fickman has tackled before in comedies like Parental Guidance (2012) and The Game Plan (2007).
Cena, John Leguizamo, Keegan-Michael Key and Judy Greer are all talented actors. They probably received nice paychecks for this one. Go see their other movies instead.
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