User reviews

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.

The picture deals about a divorced Texas Ranger named Sharp(Tommy Lee Jones)and with a daughter.A group of University students cheerleaders(Christina Milan,Paula Garces,Monica Keena,Vanessa Forlito,Kelli Garner) have witnessed a killing of a key man in the accusation of a dope kingpin.The Texas Ranger must to protect the beautiful girls as an undercover agent assisting as coach.Meanwhile he's enamored of the attractive professor(Anne Archer) of the young women.

The film displays comedy,laughters,noisy action,tongue in check and is quite bemusing .It's a blending of comedy,thriller and beauties that will like to young public.Agreeable performances for all casting,the actors seem to enjoy themselves immensely.The reliable Tommy Lee Jones is enjoyable and likable as the two-fisted Ranger controlling the gorgeous girls by strict methods.He suffers several jokes and misfortunes in charge of the cheerleaders and confronting problems in his toughest assignment.If you like Lee Jones's liking playing ,you'll enjoy this one.Besides,Cedric the Entertainer as a sympathetic priest making an amazing musical-dance duo with the cheerleaders.Catching,adequate music score by David Newman and atmospheric,appropriate cinematography by Peter Menzies Jr.The movie is produced by Tommy Lee Jones,his only production along with former film ,the magnificent¨The three burials of Melquiades Estrada¨ .The motion picture is correctly directed by the comedy expert ,Stephen Herek.He has directed comedy-Sci-Fi(Bill and Tex excellent adventures),comedy-monsters(Creeters),comedy-sport(Mighty ducks),comedy-drama(Life or something like it),among others. Rating : passable and entertaining,the flick is diverting but not as Herek's previous films.

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)

Man Of The House is about a Texas Ranger named Roland Sharp (Tommy Lee Jones) who is hunting down potential witnesses and leads to testify against a mob boss. While on the verge of capturing a potential lead, his partner is shot and he loses his witness. Everything is up in the air and no one knows which way to go when, luckily, five cheerleaders witness the execution of the man Sharp was trying to capture, who is named Morgan Ball (Curtis Armstrong - Who would have thought he would still be making movies long after his most successful stint as Booger has long been dead). After the girls decide to do the right thing, and tell the police, they are held in protective custody until they can capture the criminal who would surely be looking for them. They decide that Sharp will look after them personally and live in the same house as long as needed. This is where the comedy really begins.

The movie is meant to be a comedy, and I think Tommy Lee Jones did an excellent job with it, as well as Cedric The Entertainer. The movie opens like a typical action movie and then goes with the comedy all the way until the end, when it reverts back to that one big action sequence to end it all.

Jones and Cedric made the movie as good as it was. The cheerleaders were simply eye candy, which is just fine by me. My favorite being Barb (Kelli Garner). Jones comes off a little too old when he refuses to let the girls run around the house in the usual skimpy teen attire we all see nowadays, but that is just to show his character. You still get to see plenty of the girls, which is probably as much an attraction as Jones and Cedric.

This movie is a little hard to review for some reason but like I said in the title, if you liked the movie Miss Congeniality, then you will most likely enjoy this one, too. They are cut of the same cloth, so to speak. If you did not like Miss Congeniality, then you probably will not like this either. I guess that is the best way to put it. I enjoyed it for what it was. 7.5/10

Tommy Lee Jones, one of my favorites, is type-cast as a Texas Ranger. Cedric is a minister with a criminal past, and the girls are just short of interchangeable bimbos. Anne Archer is thrown in to be a love interest for Tommy and does very little except smile sexily at the camera (which she does well... I also love Anne Archer). The storyline is very predictable, with few surprises. So why did I vote it 7/10? It's a comedy, the writing does rise here and there out of cliché, and the stars - Jones, in particular - have perfect timing. I watched the entire movie, laughed periodically (many's the recent comedy that gets no laughs), and, as one must, didn't take it too seriously. 99% of the pyrotechnics occur in the first ten minutes, and after that it's up to TLJ and the cast to keep it moving and, somehow, they do. With less interesting stars to work the lines this movie could easily drop to below 5...

We aren't exactly talking rocket science here; in fact, in some ways "Man of the House" represents what is wrong with the American movie industry. It seems the movie was cobbled together by a bunch of movie execs. and preview audiences, so the movie feels vaguely familiar. Of course, each of the cheerleaders represents a typical stereotype: the dumb blonde, the too tightly wound pre-med major, the sassy black girl, the fiery Latina, and the "bad" girl. I felt like I was watching a movie script that was written by MadLibs. Hey, we need a laugh, so lets make Tommy Lee Jones buy tampons and watch the hilarity ensue! (Cause nothing says funny like men's reaction to icky feminine products!) The movie also misses the opportunity to properly utilize the talents of Pagent Brewster (so adorable as Chandler's love interest on "Friends"), who has only a few lines as the uber-perky cheerleading coach, Binky, and Ann Archer, who brings a quiet dignity to her underdeveloped role as a professor/object of TLJ's affection.

For those of you cheers fans, you will be woefully disappointed by the lack of actual cheerleading that is shown. Besides one ridiculous dance-off between the girls and Cedric the Entertainer (whose presence in the movie seems to be there purely because it is hilarious to see a large man dance in too small cheerleading uniform), which looks more like drill team practice to me, there is nary a tumbling pass or pyramid to be seen. Sadly, this is no "Bring It On." And, for all -the rah-rah girl power the movie feigns to promote, the girls are portrayed as bubble headed, appearance crazed, weight obsessed exhibitionists.

That being said, the movie wasn't all bad. The laughs were obvious, the characters broad, the plot unbelievable, but there were still the chuckles that come from a fish out of water comedy where you crack a smile in spite of yourself. Tommy Lee Jones does a good job of looking like an exasperated hard-ass, though you can't help but wonder if he's really acting or just cannot believe his agent actually sent him the script. By the way, he is a good example to young kids of why you should always wear sunscreen -- the man has NOT aged well! All in all, not a total waste of time, but I wouldn't suggest building your weekend plans around a viewing!

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".

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'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.

Tommy Lee Jones plays Roland Sharp, a Texas Ranger who goes undercover as a coach to protect five University of Texas cheerleaders who were the only witnesses to a crime, but can the crusty law enforcer live in a house with five teen girls?

Man of the House is a lame comedy that fails to entertain the viewer. It offers a simple premise and it does nothing with it. I know movies like this one are supposed to be harmless fun but this one wasn't fun. It was a lazy and unoriginal movie lacking laughs and charm. The casting director did a good job but the actors do little with this weak material. The sad part is that there are five(!) credited screenwriters for this film and they can't even come up with anything interesting. This movie was made to make a lot of money not to actually entertain it's audience.

The acting is just as lackluster as the script. Tommy Lee Jones is obviously doing this for a paycheck and his performance is so dull. His dry sense of humor and his up-tightness gets old and annoying fast. Monica Keena probably gives the best performance. She has a few funny lines and she wasn't totally annoying. Christina Milian should stick to singing as her performance isn't very good. Vanessa Ferlito gives the worst performance and she isn't very pretty. Kelli Garner tried too hard to act stupid while Paula Garcés seemed bored in her role. Brian Van Holt was just pale and not very interesting.

Stephen Herek has directed good movies in the past but Man of the House is not a good example of his work. Of course, he shouldn't get all the blame since he is working with a weak script and no one really seems to be trying. The running time is a brief 95 minutes but it feels so much longer. The funny bits are very few and far in between. There were a bunch of slow spots as well as lame jokes. At least there was some eye candy and this makes the film somewhat tolerable. Besides for that, there is pretty no reason to see this film. In the end, Man of the House is a lazy, boring and unfunny comedy that's better left on the shelf. Rating 3/10

Such scathing reviews and misguided attempts at deep analysis -- all for a simple little Texas comedy! Really! Maybe it's a Texas thing, but I stand aghast at how far off target the negative reviews are. Highlighted by the tremendously funny deadpan humor of Tommy Lee Jones, "Man of the House" is a gem of a lighthearted film that does a great job of tapping into the energy of all things Texan and all things Austin. It's a mistake to expect a serious movie, as the corny, oddball stuff that happens is just a setup for Tommy Lee. Give us a break with this "University of Mordor" and "silly cheerleader film" stuff - this movie is a Texas-sized barrel of laughs! Go look for metaphysical truths in other movies -- put Willie Nelson on, invite some friends over, grab a Shiner Bock, and prepare to roll on the floor with laughter....

Tommy Lee Jones is a great actor, and this movie was no exception. Though not his typical style, he played it very well, creating excellent comedy.

The cheerleaders were a bit annoying... I wish Hollywood would portray cheerleaders a bit more realistically. Is that too much to ask? I've known quite a few cheerleaders and hardly any are the ditzy, dumb-blonde type. In fact, they're rather smart, as they have a rigorous athletic schedule, as well as having to keep good grades.

Anyway...

Good movie - worth renting. Funny, without being stupid.

Sure, this is not exactly Tommy Lee Jones' finest work, but it wasn't as bad as reviews made it out to be. It was amusing at times. Jones, plays Roland, a cop who goes undercover as a cheerleading coach. He is focused on his job. And of course it makes him and the other agents squirm to see cheerleaders prancing around in house clothes. Roland goes as far as to by a $7000 air conditioner to persuade the girls to cover up more. He introduces them to pizza and its fat content. and the girls give him pointers on dating one of their teachers. But we really didn't need the wedding at the end; it was overkill. I also liked the scenes with the spy cam and at the ball game. It was funny to see him tackle the mascot and hear the crowd cheer.

FINAL VERDICT: I thought it was an OK teen film. It was funny at times. So I recommend it if you want something that is silly and fun.

Ridiculous premise? Absolutely.

Predictable plot line? Unfortunately.

But I'll tell you what, when I saw this movie, the solidly-packed audience found it quite hilarious, and so did I. Of course, the Austin setting was a plus for me, and it was the first movie filmed around UT that was allowed to use the name and logos. It was fun to see local landmarks including Buffalo Billiards, Threadgill's, the campus and the Governor's mansion, but how could Tommy Lee Jones go to Threadgill's and leave without eating one deep-fried dill pickle??

I made a unofficial poll of the women that I know who are over 40 years of age, and every single one said , " I LOVE Tommy Lee Jones!" If that is part of his demographic, this movie should do really well, with TLJ delivering zingers in that cowboy voice, admitting to his 55+ years, and keeping his smiles for the womanly Anne Archer while wrangling the herd of young cheerleaders.

The supporting cast was also fun to watch - just remember this is not a film - it's a MOVIE!

The Story: Roland Sharp (Tommy Lee Jones), Texas Ranger, gets placed in charge of protecting five sexy yet annoying cheerleaders after they witness a murder. Clean and simple.

The Good: There's the occasional laugh. The cheerleaders are worth looking at. It doesn't immediately make you want to shove a sharp implement through your ocular cavity and mix your brain into pudding to make your escape.

The Bad: To begin at the beginning, there's this little two-screen effect they do during the intro credits that shows Sharp and his partner trying to arrest bad guy Morgan Ball (played by Curtis Armstrong, yay). While it was an interesting idea, it ended up being just visually distracting.

So, during the split-screen nonsense, partner lady gets . . . injured or killed or something. I'm not entirely sure which. She ends up being carted away either way, and her situation is mentioned ONCE afterwards. Sharp's feelings on his partner's predicament are brought up, but never resolved. If she was, in fact, only injured, it doesn't really matter because she's never seen again. It has the rancid stink of a subplot that was never fully developed, but couldn't be fully cut because there was no time and/or money to refilm the opening scenes.

The cheerleaders are supposed to be annoying. This is expected. This is one of the reasons people go to watch the movie. We want to see the stodgy Jones be antagonized by these fine but annoying ladies for the comedic value. Sadly, what's annoying is the fact that they often try TOO HARD to be annoying. The result is that their efforts fall flat and I ended up being more bored with their personalities than annoyed by them.

Ready for a shock? There's a romantic subplot! *gasp* But the fact that this was going to be included in the movie whether we wanted it to be or not isn't the problem. The problem is that its delivery is so horribly hamfistted that it's even more difficult to buy into than most other romantic subplots. Even worse is that it's hardly predictable only because it's introduced only half a minute after the romantic interest herself first graces the screen.

Speaking of hamfistted, the whole cheerleader/Texas Ranger dynamic is horribly off. Sharp goes from "I ain't tellin' you my personal problems" to "I'm divorced and I don't connect well with my kid" in all of five minutes. There's a little emotional connection between Sharp and a couple (and I really mean only a couple . . . the rest just seem to follow the group) of the cheerleaders, but much of it seems completely unconnected from his finally opening up.

There's not even the slightest pretense at trying to hide who the real bad guy is. It wasn't really necessary that they do so - especially since it was painfully obvious, even from the very beginning - but there wasn't any reason NOT to, either, and it might have added at least a little bit of tension to the generally lifeless plot.

*sigh* I could go on and on, I really could, but I think I'll leave it at that for now.

The Deal: Ugh. Y'know, one of the oddest things about being named Roland is that, for some reason, virtually every character named Roland in every movie, TV show, or whatever has something horribly wrong or disappointing about them. They're scummy criminals, disgusting social rejects, boring wallflowers, insane jerks, or something else that makes you wonder if everyone on the planet grew up with someone named Roland that they really really hate.

In this case, Roland is the main character in a horrible failure of a movie.

The real shame of it is that there is a good deal of potential lurking around the edges of this movie. There are a few action scenes that are quite good . . . unfortunate that they're horribly misplaced, breaking up the comedy pace that the rest of the movie tries so desperately to set up. This potential and the cheerleader hotness is the only reason I'm not giving this movie the lowest score possible.

If, for some reason, you DO still want to see it, you'd be best off waiting to rent - or, more preferably, borrow - the DVD.

How can you possibly go wrong pairing up Tommy Lee Jones with five hot cheerleaders? Luckily Man of the House doesn't disappoint. Granted, it won't win any awards, but it does a good job as a time suck with its standard fish out of water story and count them, five token hot chicks.

The story follows Tommy Lee Jones as a Texas Ranger, not the kind that would know Derek Jeter as some of the girls think, who is protecting a group of cheerleaders from the University of Texas who have witnessed a murder that is linked to a high powered businessman. The ladies he is protecting include the token hot chick from Undeclared as the brainy one with social anxieties, plays the tough as nails one but has all the deep thoughts not too mention the only one who could master the Texas accent, Paula Garces, who surprisingly is on the wrong side of thirty playing a college student, and Chistina Milian, best know for her singing career, well actually not really, both play the fiery Latina chick, not sure why they didn't just combine the characters. The standout of the cheerleaders though was Kelli Garner as the boy, and man, crazy dumb blonde, who brought depth and heart to what could have been just your routine Jessica or Paris caricature. Rounding out the cast was Cedric the Entertainer who's talents were somewhat wasted as the ex-con turned preacher.

Most of the movie is pretty predictable with the girls helping Jones character get in touch with his feminine side including the prerequisite makeover montage. And it's a given that they would help him out with his girl troubles including his estranged daughter and the professor of one of the girls. The movie may not be as good as the other cheerleader movie, Bring It On but Man of the House is worth a rental at the very least.

It's the time to retire Tommy Lee Jones? i must admit not..because this role still represents everything we know about the Texas Ranger ! what i say it's important is that nothing must be judged by the looks.this movie starts as action ends as attraction and the chemistry of the girls is pretty good.it has some plot flaws and also a few minor skipped details but makes good impact on average movie fan and that's the most important thing in movie industry..selling in theaters.because everybody who writes reviews and comments in this website doesn't give a "nickel" about average movie fan's opinion and gives low grades for movies that represent "nothing new" movies like this have not so many stars...i say we should give more movies a second chance..and don't forget ...be the man of the house !

just a plain dumb so called comedy with the inane Cedric the (so called) entertainer. why must Hollywood make such unfunny movies with unfunny people. Are there no more talented people out there who will make people laugh and come up with a original thought. maybe one day people like Cedric the "entertainer" will be thrown out of the business to make room for people who have some kind of comedic talent.I am sick and tired of movies be made to an audience comprised of idiots who will sit there and laugh out a film that is not funny at any level. the fact that they are remaking the honeymooners is bad enough. That they are remaking it with cedric the (un) entertainer and his crew is a insult to all that is decent in the world.

I do not see how this movie earned a 5.1 in ratings. That is being too generous. I could barely sit through this movie, very bad acting, bad plot, bad everything. Not to mention that this movie and The Pacifier have a lot of similarities. And being in Police Work myself, i can tell you that normally, they would have a Police officer at the front entrance and side entrance of the the house, and usually record their phone conversations. They would send a MALE police officer into the house and not let them leave!!! Oh yeah, and when the cheerleaders were naming names of past cheerleaders, i don't think it is true that Samuel L. Jackson was a cheerleader, now i may be wrong, but i just don't think i am. 1 out of 10