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By Yvonne Greenberg
 LA JOLLA, California—As the audience of 244 people settled into their seats at the Garfield Theatre at the Lawrence Family Jewish Community Center to watch the film Play The Game on the evening of Sunday, August 23rd, many wondered what kind of game was going to be played.
The most notable game player in the film is David (Paul Campbell), who uses slick talk as a car salesman and when making plays for women.
He visits his very depressed Grandpa Joe (Andy Griffith), who had recently lost his wife. David convinces Grandpa to leave his room and shows him some ways to get the attention of targeted women at a bar.
Grandpa follows the advice of David and uses mind games with some of the women in the nursing home where he is staying. One of the residents of the nursing home, Edna, (Liz Sheridan), stealthfully pours Viagra into his drink. Later, they have the best sex that Grandpa had ever experienced.
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But Grandpa is more interested in Rose (Doris Roberts). David meets Rose's granddaughter, Julie (Marla Sokoloff), and she beats him at every game, be it physical or mental. He no longer plays his games but falls in love with her.
Marc Fienberg, first-time writer, producer, and director of the film, based the script somewhat on his own Grandpa, who sadly died at age 95 before the film was finished.
The film took 12 years to complete and updates many aspects of modern living with humor. Fienberg nicely handles the relationships and adding Viagra to the mix produces funny results. David's falling in love with a woman, Julie, who seems to one-up him at every turn, is certainly refreshing.
Fienberg has an MBA and never studied filmmaking, but immensely enjoys the creative process.
Play The Game is just one of the programs of the year-round San Diego Jewish Film Festival, which will be celebrating its 20th anniversary in February 2010.
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