How To Grow Your Geek: Parenting and More!

Rocks, Teeth and life lessons.

Hi Guys,
Thought I’d do another movie review for you guys, a new one this time. And I thought I would add something dad told me to do when I watch movies. It has helped me, so maybe it will you too.

The Tooth Fairy – A movie review by Darcy Low

“Derek Thompson is ‘The Tooth Fairy,’ a hard-charging minor league hockey player whose nickname comes from his habit of separating opposing players from their bicuspids. When Derek discourages a youngster’s hopes, he’s sentenced to one week’s hard labor as a real tooth fairy, complete with the requisite tutu, wings and magic wand. At first, Derek “can’t handle the tooth” – bumbling and stumbling as he tries to furtively wing his way through strangers’ homes…doing what tooth fairies do. But as Derek slowly adapts to his new position, he begins to rediscover his own forgotten dreams”

Okay let me ask you, if you had the chance to see Dwayne Johnson in a pink Tutu; wouldn’t you rush to go see it??? Yeah you sound like my Dad. Hehe. Yep, this movie is VERY silly. But it’s a lot of fun too, and surprise; it has a message to it.

Derek Thompson is a Hockey player who has seen his better days. He still plays, but because of a injury he is in a rut and has left his dreams of something better behind him. But he doesn’t mind a bit, in fact he is enjoying himself. For the time being.

Now I don’t know a thing about hockey, all i ever watched has been baseball and college football. So sorry if i get anything wrong here.

Derek is a blocker, they send him in when the guy with the hockey puck needs to be defended. He goes in like Mike Tyson, when he checks a guy they usually lose a tooth. That was how he got the nick name The Tooth Fairy. But when a younger player comes along with a even bigger ego than his, he starts thinking about how he isn’t as young as he used to be and he becomes bitter.

He is in love with a woman that has two young kids, one boy that is about my age and one little girl. The boy is a very good guitar player, and dreams of becoming as famous as Eric Clapton and Stevie Ray Vaughan. He has great talent and big dreams. The little girl is maybe six or seven, and is losing a tooth. (See it coming don’t ya?)

When the boy asks Derek if he thinks he will ever be a famous rocker, Derek uses his own bitter experience and tells him no, there will most likely be someone much younger that will come along and will have even more talent. (Thus killing the boys dream.) When the little girl’s tooth finally comes out, he is there and takes the tooth. Telling the mom he will put it under her pillow later. He puts it in his pocket and of course forgets about it. (Strike two) When the girl gets up there is of course no tooth and no money under the pillow. So our hero once again explains how dumb it is to have dreams. (Thus killing her belief in magic.) Oooooo, strike three. You’re otta there!

Having forgotten all about everything, Derek wakes up in the middle of the night and finds a glowing note under his own pillow. He has been summoned before the head tooth fairy herself, and is told that for naming himself the tooth fairy and killing peoples dreams; he is sentenced to spend a week as a tooth fairy himself. (Wings, Magic Dust and Wand, the whole works.) He has to obey the rules and do the job right, or more time is added on.

And that is where the fun begins.

This is a classic fish out of water tale that has been done time and time again. Nothing really new here, but the movie was really okay for all of that. What sets it off are two things, the cast of stars. The head Tooth Fairy is Julie Andrews, (Doing the Princess Diaries thing where she is nice but doesn’t take any guff.) A WICKED funny appearance by Billy Crystal as the magic supply officer. (Think of his character in Princess Bride and add in M from James Bond.) The bit with the magic dust that makes the person forget whatever happened three seconds before is too funny! “What’s that?” “magic dust, it makes the person forgot anything that just happened.” Poof! “What’s that?” “magic dust, it makes the person forgot anything that just happened.” Poof! “What’s that?” “magic dust, it makes the person forgot anything that just happened.” Poof!
Hehe! it had Ashley and me rolling!

Finally is Derek’s Fairy Trainer, (Played by a actor from the show the office. I never watch that show but he is pretty funny in this movie. Forgot the name, sorry.) He is very tall and skinny, and he is a fairy who was born with no wings. (Some are born with and without.) He knows all the ins and out of how to be a tooth fairy, but because he has no wings he can not become one. Yet he longs for them anyway.

The training of Derek is wicked funny, and all the gags will have you laughing. Each time he has to get a tooth is a riot, and remember now he still has to live in the real world as a hockey player and he is still in love with that woman. And he has to win over her kids.

Like I said it has been done before in movies but this wasn’t bad. Here is the second reason why for me.

In the end, you come away with a life lesson. You have to follow your dreams, and if they don’t work out, don’t destroy someone else’s dreams. That is what he has to learn for himself, how dreams are important and how magical they really are. And how we should never dash anyone’s dream. Because who knows, it could be the next person to cure cancer, or write the next great song. You have to believe in your self and help others to do the same.

So did he in the end? Was it a happy ending for everyone? Well you will just have to see for yourself huh?

So if you need a giggle, and we all do I think. Go see this, you will come away with a little more than you thought you would have. I did.

Darcy