'Hunting Party' keeps on track despite Gere

"The Hunting Party" -- I'm a sucker for flicks about cynical, alcoholic, crusading journalists, which is why I enjoyed "The Hunting Party," despite some glaring flaws. Richard Gere and Terrence Howard play Simon Hunt and Duck, hotshot television journalists who risk their lives getting stories in the world's worst battlegrounds, then burn off the adrenaline by carousing in local bars. Years of covering violence and carnage finally get to Simon, though, and he suffers a career-ending meltdown on the air while reporting on the war in Bosnia during the mid-1990s. Five years later, a grizzled, down-on-his-luck Simon reconnects with Duck and claims he's working a story that will put his career back on track: an interview with "The Fox," one of Bosnia's most notorious war criminals. Duck, who has a cushy network job but misses the rush of gonzo wartime reporting, agrees to help, and they head deep into Bosnia's woods, where wartime tensions still run high and a vicious murderer awaits.

"The Hunting Party" is based on a true story as reported in an Esquire article by Scott K. Anderson. Writer-director Richard Shepard adds a healthy dose of satire and black humor into the script, and he handles its shifting tones pretty well. Shepard also does a nice job evoking the insanity of the war in Bosnia without overdoing the violence. On the negative side, the movie suffers from Gere's much-too-sedate performance as Simon Hunt. The Half-Crazy Journalist character has a distinguished history in film -- see Peter Finch in 1976's "Network" or James Woods in 1986's "Salvador" -- but Gere doesn't measure up. His meltdown scene is utterly unmoving, and I never believed him to be as desperate and haunted as the movie says he is. Another misstep is the grating, just-out-of-college reporter (actually a network news honcho's son) who joins Simon and Duck on their quest. He gives Jar Jar Binks a run for the "Most Annoying Character" title.

In the end, though, the movie's strengths outweighed its weaknesses for me. If you're drawn to cynical, darkly funny war stories, you'll like "The Hunting Party." The DVD comes with a lively commentary from Shepard, a fascinating interview with the real-life journalists behind the story and the full Esquire article that inspired it. (R; Genius Products, $28.95)

"The Game Plan" -- This sugar-coated Disney film is a harmless, breezy and totally predictable comedy about an NFL superstar who finds out that he's the father of a 7-year-old girl. Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson plays Jim Kingman, an obnoxious star quarterback who's so egotistical that he routinely ignores wide-open receivers so he can run the ball into the end zone himself. One day, a cute little girl appears at his door, claiming to be his daughter. In an instant, his swinging bachelor's life is replaced by ballet lessons and homework. As Kingman grows as a father, his team inches closer to its first-ever world championship, resulting in the classic Big Game finale. The Rock (I really can't call him anything else) displays charisma and charm in this leading role, but the script makes the little girl much too precious and cutesy. And of course, the plot is cobbled together from about a dozen earlier movies. Young kids who haven't already seen a slew of Inspirational Sports Stories will probably enjoy "The Game Plan," but the film doesn't come close to other Disney classics. The DVD boasts a nice selection of bonus features, including deleted scenes and a making-of featurette. (PG; Disney, $29.99)

"This Sporting Life" (The Criterion Collection): "This Sporting Life" is the 1963 debut from British filmmaker Lindsay Anderson, and it's considered one of the best British films ever. Part of the "kitchen-sink realism" movement in British film during the 1950s and 1960s, the movie tells the story of Frank Machin, a well-meaning but brutish coal miner who earns fame (and a bit of fortune) as a professional rugby player. Machin, played in an Oscar-nominated performance by the late Richard Harris, loves his widowed landlady Mrs. Hammond (Rachel Roberts, also nominated for an Oscar), but can't express his feelings in any manner other than physical aggression. Starkly shot in black-and-white, the film is the clear ancestor of Martin Scorsese's "Raging Bull." Though more than 40 years old, the script, acting and direction feel fresh and relevant. This nice two-disc set from Criterion includes a commentary, early documentary films made by Anderson and a revealing look at the filmmaker's life and work. (NR; Criterion, $39.95)