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Rating:  -
REIGN OVER ME IS A MUST SEE! However, if you are seeking Sandler in one of his historically hilarious roles, then this movie is definately not for you. In a most intriguing performance, viewers are carried through the character's emotions and changes as he struggles to deal with a devastating 9-11 loss. The depth of sorrow and emotion you witness as the transformation and friendship story carries you along will have you cheering for the characters at the end. If you are a NYC native living in the concrete jungle, you will most certainly understand and appreciate the depth and meaning of this film as much as we did...through the tears and the triumph. Don't pass up the chance to see this incredible film.
Diane NYC
Rating:  -
It took a while to pinpoint what bothered me about "Reign Over Me," and surprisingly, those thoughts brought me back to another Adam Sandler movie, Spanglish, to conclude what the problem was. In "Spanglish," Sandler plays the slushy role of a good-hearted husband married to a thoroughly high-strung, obsessive woman acted a bit too dramatically by Tea Leoni. Throughout "Spanglish," I never believed that the childlike Sandler could be attracted to, much less have married, such a woman, despite the "opposites attract" attraction that often brings couples together. Sandler's role didn't seem believable to me, possibly because of his one-dimensional acting skills, so I never got absorbed into "Spanglish" like many others did.
Fast forward to 2007's "Reign Over Me." I understand that each person deals with grief in his or her own manner, but the way Sandler's character so sweepingly changes after losing his entire family in one of the 9/11 plane crashes never came off as plausible to me. At the risk of sounding heartless, are we seriously supposed to believe that a once prospering, doting father and husband has transformed to a complete jerk who grows out his hair, rides a stand-up scooter, plays drums in a horrible rock band, collects vinyl albums and sits obsessively in front of the TV playing a weird video game all day? Throw in a touch of schizophrenia and you have the gist of Sandler's character. I'm no expert on post-traumatic disorder, but there are sadly loads of men and women throughout the world who have had to deal with losing entire families because of some sad tragedy. In the book A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini, for example, one Afghan character dealt with the same type of tragedy Sandler did in "Reign Over Me," but her tough journey did not lead to eccentricity or even that much self-pity, as Sandler's did. She simply picked up the scattered pieces of her life, albeit in a very depressed mode at first, and got on with it -- like adults do.
But Sandler never once acts like an adult in "Reign Over Me," indicating that he was perhaps predisposed toward mental illness even if his family had not perished in a plane crash. The scene where he is dragged out of the courtroom kicking and screaming, headphones and music firmly attached to his head, is overwrought, unlikely and actually embarrassing to watch. I could fathom Sandler angrily stomping out of the courtroom or perhaps telling off the people trying to hurt him, but his childish tantrum made him come off as an immature 8-year-old kid, rather than a man dealing with his formidable depression. What's worse is that Sandler's character, despite displaying acts of aggression, violence, immaturity and genuine craziness throughout the movie, seems to blithely land on his feet. And oh yeah, in typical Hollywood fashion, he also manages to get the beautiful girl in the end, a girl who was attracted to Don Cheadle's straight-laced character at the start of the movie, but puzzlingly becomes drawn in to Sandler, a long-haired manic depressive who can barely eke out two words to her. In fairness, Sandler's new lady friend was attracted to the loner-ish side of Cheadle, which Sandler's character displayed in spades, so perhaps that's what drew her in to Sandler in the end. Nonetheless, the ending seemed a bit too tidy. Sandler seemed like a man who perhaps DID need to be institutionalized or receive medicine, but the ending makes it seem like he's suddenly magically cured, which is actually a mockery of true mental illness.
The premise of this movie was promising: two old college friends who reunite and reconnect, one of them suffering from a major life tragedy. But between Sandler's unlikely character and the forced, unneeded drama going on in Cheadle's life, I never bought most of this story. A thoughtful, realistic drama about how an actual person deals with the aftermath of the 9/11 tragedy would make for a poignant drama. Unfortunately, "Reign Over Me" blatantly relies too much on Hollywood schmaltz and classic rock music to make it a worthy flick.
Rating: -
Yes, Adam Sandler has emotional range as an actor. He can exude suffering with the best of them. But does that mean we have to suffer through the whole movie too? Don Cheadle's great and the supporting cast is excellent, but the plot just drags on at rock bottom pathos for nearly its entirety, and the side plots (spousal conflict and baseless allegations of professional sexual misconduct) don't really go well with the main plot, which is Adam Sandler's inability to cope with the loss of his family to the 9-11 terror attacks. The movie reminded me of Lorenzo's Oil, where the hopelessness and suffering just go on and on until it becomes mind-numbing.
Rating:  -
"Reign Over Me" is an incredible film. Poignant and dramatic, this story of a man who's lost everything on September 11, 2001 is a vigorous exercise in true friendship and family love. Adam Sandler delivers a brilliant performance as a socially dysfunctional widower whose wife and three daughters were on board one of the hijacked airplanes, effectively ending his life on that fateful day. Don Cheadle is Sandler's former college roommate who happens to see Sandler in the street, and seeks to touch base and catch up with an old friend. Cheadle's character's dedication to Sandler's is truly unique in a world where "close friends" wouldn't put up with such grief and unconventional behavior. Jada Pinkett Smith and Liv Tyler also deliver fine performances. Donald Sutherland had a small role, but really stole the scenes he was in. This film warmed my heart, made me laugh, and gave me a glimpse of what a true friend is.
Rating: -
First, Adam Sandler gives a terrific performance as a man who lost his wife and three daughters on 9/11. He effectively portrays a man who is not just mourning, but is literally crippled by his loss. It's a moving performance, especially the scene in which he finally discusses the tragedy.
While I strongly recommend this film, there are some faults. The subplot involving an attractive dental patient is unnecessary and distracting. BJ Novak, of The Office fame, is completely miscast as an aggressive state agent who wants Charlie (Sandler) committed. He's just not believable, but it's a minor role (thankfully).
But the positives far outweigh the negatives. Sandler, Cheadle, Pinkett-Smith, and even Liv Tyler give great performances. The music fits the film perfectly. 9/11, the reason for Sandler's grief, is treated respectfully and not given a cringe-worthy Hollywood dramatization. This movie simply tells the story of one man, of many, who lost it all on that day.
At it's core, Reign Over Me is a testimony to the strength of friendship. It's a very good film.
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