The Tooth Fairy: Movie Review

The Tooth Fairy: Movie Review

The Tooth Fairy
Rating: 6/10
Cast: Dwayne Johnson, Ashley Judd, Stephen Merchant, Julie Andrews, Billy Crystal
Director: Michael Lembeck
Dwayne Johnson in a tutu with wings, being a fairy.
It doesn't sound like your average start to any film - but with the Tooth Fairy that's pretty much part of the premise.
Johnson (none of this The Rock business) is Derek Thompson, a fading ice hockey player whose schtick is he knocks out his opponents' teeth on the ice - and hence is known as The Tooth Fairy.
However, when Thompson tells his girlfriend's daughter Tess there's no such thing as the Tooth Fairy, he's swiftly summoned before Lily (Julie Andrews) the head of the real Tooth Fairies (there's an academy of them) and ordered to serve time in their shoes.
So paired up with Tracy (Stephen Merchant), Thompson's forced to live the life of the Tooth Fairy - and face some uncomfortable tooths (erm, sorry - truths) about his world and dreams.
The premise is nothing original, and sure you don't have to be a genius to see where the film's going, but the Tooth Fairy isn't as bad as you may think it could be.
While the kids will love the humour of the goofy Dwayne Johnson getting his wings at inappropriate moments as well as when the pint sized hero faces off against a large cat, adults will warm more to the Stephen Merchant and Billy Crystal factor. Crystal is reduced unfortunately to a mere cameo as a Fairy inventor but in his one scene, he's excellent (stick around at the end for a bit more Billygoodness)- likewise the tall gangly Merchant (Of Extras fame). His Tracy, as Thomspon's mentor is nothing original (once again, he's playing a version of himself) but thanks to a likeable performance and some smart deadpan humour, he becomes one of the best things of the entire film.
Julie Andrews brings a degree of warmth to her role - but essentially it's her turn from the Princess Diaries all over again.
Sure there's a message about belief here - both in your self and in dreams, but thanks to the affability of Johnson and the cast, it's toothfully not a bad family film.

There are some awful puns using the word tooth to start off with (some of which I've chosen to share here with you) but once you get past that, there are some laugh out loud moments throughout meaning the whole experience is not a displeasurable one.