WHEN a group of cheerleaders witness a brutal murder they are forced into hiding to keep safe before the time comes for them to give evidence in court.

Given the dubious task of protecting the girls is Texas ranger Roland Sharp (Tommy Lee Jones) who has to pretend to be their cheerleading coach - an undercover task which leads to all manner of vaguely amusing incidents involving knickers and Tampax.

Sadly all the cheerleaders suffer from Dawson's Creek Syndrome.

This is a condition which sees actors and actresses who are blatantly in their late 20s/early 30s unconvincingly trying to pass themselves of as 16-year-olds. The realms of belief are stretched beyond measure.

There are some funny moments in Man of the House but sadly they are few and far between. And standards in the film industry appear to have slipped.

There was no way a 12 certificate film should be jammed full of the harsh swear words that this film contained.

The DVD also boasts a "making-of" feature and a documentary on cheerleading. Fascinating stuff.

HC