Tooth Fairy

In the movie “Tooth Fairy”, Dwayne the Rock Johnson turns in his wrestling trunks for a pair of fairy wings and plays Derek Thompson who is a minor league hockey player known for being so aggressive that he knocks out his opponent’s teeth. He used to be a major league player and is very bitter about everyone telling him he could be the best, but he never quite made it. He dashes the dreams of his young fans by telling them it is statistically impossible for them to be true successes. When he is not on the ice he is romancing his girlfriend who has two children with dreams of their own. The “Tooth Fairy”, as he known by fans, has no qualms with being his same straight forward self when he almost tells his girlfriend’s young daughter that there is no such thing as the tooth fairy. To pay for his crimes as a dream killer Derek is sentenced to two weeks as a tooth fairy in the hope he will get his belief in “what if” back. Turning into the winged collector of enamel could not happen at the worst time for Derek. In his professional career a young cocky rookie phenomenon is stealing his thunder as the new favorite player and his girlfriend is hesitant to take their relationship to the next level. Some how Derek has to juggle the ability to collect teeth, stay swift on the ice, and be the perfect family man. If he fails at any one thing, he could earn more time as a tooth fairy and loose his job and girlfriend. As he learns to believe in himself, he starts to believe in others and encourages them, this is especially helpful in bonding with his girlfriend’s son who wants to be a rock star. But when the going gets tough, will Derek be just another fair-weather fan in believing or can he stay in the game when the chips are down?

“Tooth Fairy” is a sweet movie for children or for someone looking for a light and simple movie. It does have its comedic moments with Dwayne Johnson running around in Peter Pan garb and paper wings. The obstacles he has to hurdle when he first becomes a tooth fairy are hilarious. Just think of a grown man shrinking to six inches tall with the voice to match trying to dodge housecats, parents, and mechanical toys. “Tooth Fairy” has a great message that pulls at the heart strings. Believing in others and encouraging them is very important, just as important as believing in yourself. With all the sweetness in this film you’ll end up with a mouth of full of cavities and wondering is this the whole movie? It is missing the whitening agent to its mint flavored toothpaste, it gets the job done but it lacks the something extra.

The cameos alone are nearly worth checking out this picture. The always humorous Billy Crystal plays the gadget making genius who takes all the pleasure in the world in giving Derek a taste of his own medicine. Another fine cameo is made by the ever glorious Julie Andrews as the head tooth fairy who is intent on changing Derek’s way of doing things. She is funny, witty, and full of her natural charm. Another stellar performance is given by Stephen Merchant who plays Tracy, the wingless fairy caseworker assigned to making sure Derek completes all his tooth retrieving duties. Merchant plays the ideal “sidekick” for the stubborn hero and steals most of the scenes he is in. He is the funny guy to Johnson’s straight man; however, a tender message and great cameos just are not enough to turn this movie into a jaw-dropping experience. Tooth Fairy’s heart is in the right place but it is not a film you can really sink your teeth into.