L'uomo di casa

No, it wasn't Oscar material. It wasn't even comedic genius. But it will make you smile and laugh and you will be entertained.

Tommy Lee Jones turns in his customary performance as a blunt, laconic albeit lovable curmudgeon. The plot is predictable, but then this isn't a Shakespearean tragedy, so how involved is it supposed to be? The girls are cute, little, perky provide enough eye candy to send you into diabetic shock. Of course, I could have done without the Texas Longhorn connection being a USC graduate and all. But that aside, I smiled, and I laughed, and when it was over, I felt good.

So sue me.

There are movies that come out of nowhere, completely enrapture us, and have us singing their praises to anybody who will listen. Movies that will stand the test of time and be added to most DVD collections. Other movies (Alone in the Dark) appear in our theaters only briefly, and much like Funyon-induced flatulence, they stink up the joint and then disappear as quickly as they came. Then there are movies like Man of the House. They come, they moderately entertain, but they really don't add anything fresh or new to the industry. They simply manage to keep you smiling for an hour and a half before making their way to the Wal-Mart bargain bin.

The generically cheesy title (Man of the House? Come on!) should immediately warn you that we're not exactly diving into uncharted waters. No towing the line will be allowed here! But that's OK. Sure, the movie is by-the-numbers, predictable, silly, and whatever other clichéd buzz words you want to use for a movie that's not brimming with originality. It's a pretty simple mix really: we've got Jones, some hot cheerleaders to look at, and a few laughs. Fortunately, I like Jones and hot cheerleaders. And you know what? I laughed! I didn't have to see a doctor about my busted gut afterwards, but I was entertained, and sometimes that's enough to satisfy me on a Friday afternoon.

This is a fun, cutesy, fluffy movie that bases most of its jokes on the contrast of Tommy Lee Jones' no-nonsense, non-joking persona with the bubbly personalities of five college cheerleaders who don't appreciate his rules. Of course, this means they will do their best to rebel a bit. For example, they continue to dress scantily despite Jones' insistence that they try to wear a few more articles of clothing. No problem. TLJ just purchases an extremely expensive air conditioner to force them to cover up. It may cost the Texas Rangers a few thousand dollars, but it'll teach those girls a lesson in modesty! In a surprising twist that is bound to shake the very foundations of cinema as we know it, the gals grow to like TLJ despite his leather tough exterior. They really want to help him discover his inner sensitivity because let's face it, when you look like a piece of beef jerky you need all the help you can get. So when TLJ has a big date with one of the cheerleaders' professors (Anne Archer), they swoop in to trim his nose and ear hair, give him a manicure, and tidy him up. All the middle-aged women who love Tommy Lee Jones and his Southern drawl go awwwwwwwwwwwwwwww! And the scene where the cheerleaders help teach Jones how to skate is also sure to make those elderly female hearts flutter. I won't spoil it for you and tell you whether he falls or not. I'll give you the joy of finding out for yourself.

Then of course there are the jokes that play to the stereotype of some cheerleaders not being too bright. When Jones announces that he's with the Texas Rangers, one of the cheerleaders excitedly asks, "Do you know Derek Jeter?" Some people will find moments like this to be stupid, while others (such as my mother and sister) will think they're absolutely adorable.

The best advice I can give you is to picture in your mind Tommy Lee Jones living with five cheerleaders. How funny is the image to you? Let that be your guide. If you don't like TLJ, then there's not much here for you because he's responsible for keeping this from being a made-for-TV movie that I probably wouldn't have had any interest in watching.

THE GIST Man of the House isn't exactly a movie to get excited about, but it provides enough laughs to keep its head above water. If you like Tommy Lee Jones (or hot cheerleaders) and you thought the trailer looked halfway decent then this is a serviceable matinée (or a future rental). Otherwise, you probably won't find it worth your time.

Rating: 3 (out of 5)

I'll be honest. My two main motivations for checking out this movie were the great Tommy Lee Jones and a bunch of hot cheerleaders. I expected a fluffy, predictable comedy, and that's what I got. But it works. There are few "laugh-out-loud" moments, but it's charming and fun the whole way through. Of course, I have to give much of the credit to Tommy Lee Jones. When you're dealing with a broad comedy of this sort, it's good to have a talented veteran actor at its center to give it some validity. John Cleese once said that watching a crazy person is not nearly as funny as watching someone reacting to a crazy person. Well, Jones does a great job at reacting to this group of wacky cheerleaders, and helps make the film even more amusing. I'm sure real-life cheerleaders hate the way they're almost always portrayed as ditsy morons in movies. Well, this movie isn't any different, so cheerleaders may be offended by much of the humor. I didn't think it was necessary for "Harold and Kumar's" Paula Garces to play a stereotypical Latina, phony accent and all. But unfortunately, it's hard to be of Latin descent of Hollywood without getting those degrading roles. Just look at Lupe Ontiveros, who was born in the U.S., yet has been stuck playing the typical Spanish maid throughout most of her career. But with all that aside, I think one of the reasons why the movie succeeds is because it doesn't often resort to crude and low-brow humor. There's one joke involving Jones sticking his hand up a cow's behind, but other than that, there isn't any real bathroom humor. And on top of it all, we have a nice action subplot, including an exciting finale. "Man of the House" is good, light-hearted fun, as long as you're not expecting too much.

Another routine film where Texas cheerleaders witness a murder and are then protected by Marshal Tommy Lee Jones. Jones shows a thick Texan accent and is aging. The guy looks like he has not had a good night sleep in a while.

Naturally, while they are confined, the girls learn a lot from Jones and he in return learns from them.

Nice seeing Anne Archer back in films after a hiatus for her. As English literature professor, Molly McCarthy, her part is small but she shows real professor-like teaching in her class. She is good at giving out the assignments.

The last scenes are exciting when the killer catches the daughter of Jones and the cheerleaders are able to get her off the bus. While the girls are not exactly brilliant, they know do some degree what life is all about. The former also best describes this film which has a few funny moments. Cedric the Entertainer appears in the first and last scene as a preacher with a jaded past.

I am very well known for scoffing at my husband for taking me to see movies that are not "Oscar Worthy". I have learned not to go to the movies with my teenagers because most of their choices, in my opinion, are dull and poorly made. Thus they didn't like that I drug them to "Mystic River" last year. They didn't understand why I like it.

Although "Man of the House" was not a well made movie and did contain a lot of clichés' I enjoyed it. The lines were quite funny and Tommy Lee Jones being the wonderful actor he is pulled off the "hard nosed guy with a soft side" very well. The interaction between him and the girls was believable and the girls all had their own distinct personalities.... the Latin hot head, the studious good girl, the dumb blonde, the beautiful ex-bad girl hick and the level headed but stubborn leader.

I might have enjoyed it because it has a touch of GIRL POWER in it.... (kinda like Thelma and Louise). I might have liked it because I love Tommy Lee Jones, and I might have liked it because I am an ex-cheerleader and currently a cheer coach (which would ACTUALLY be a reason NOT to like it because the cheerleading in it was for SHOW ONLY. Not a realistic portrayal of our sport by any means). None the less I tend to be hard nose where movie making is concerned and I liked it.

Its a safe bet as a rental. Watch your teenage sons.... there are A lot of half dressed girls (think "Coyote Ugly" but worse).

If you are looking for a "Bring it On" type movie... THIS IS NOT IT. This is more along the lines of "Sugar and Spice".