Alan (Don Cheadle) runs into his roommate from dental school, Charlie (Adam Sandler), more than a decade after they last saw each other. Knowing that Charlie lost his family on 9/11 and is still struggling, Alan tries to help his old friend. Meanwhile, Alan must balance life with his wife (Jada Pinkett Smith) and kids, and a patient (Saffron Burrows) who has propositioned him.
Big question: Few mainstream films are built around post-9/11 coping methods--though a handful have made the events of that day the main focus, such as "United 93" and "World Trade Center." Can "Reign Over Me" make it work?
Catch it: Cheadle tops himself once again, and while Sandler indulges in some "Wedding Singer"-style screaming, an excellent monologue makes up for it. More important, Sandler is believable as Charlie because he's aged enough that it finally looks like something major could have happened to him in his life. For the most part, the movie approaches memories of 9/11 intelligently, without too much sentimentality.
Skip it: If you're opposed to friendship montages, horrendous and unbelievable courtroom scenes, and lines like, "I hate putting phony teeth on phony people." Worse: Writer-director Mike Binder's need to balance nearly every tough, painful moment with a joke. "Reign Over Me" contains brave subject matter, and Binder should have stuck with it all the way.
Bottom line: Far from a bad film but not quite a good one, "Reign Over Me" is a partly successful attempt to make a 9/11 movie that's not a 9/11 movie. It's a drama with far too much comedy, and it's simultaneously mature about grief and hypocritical about means of coping. But that's worth thinking about and discussing.
Bonus: Some undeniable truths raised in "Reign Over Me": Nearly all college roommates hate each other's taste in music. Nobody likes a roommate who sleeps naked and sleepwalks. A person singing Bruce Springsteen with cereal in his mouth sounds no different than one singing Springsteen without cereal in his mouth.
Matt Pais is the metromix movies producer.
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'Reign Over Me'
Directed and written by Mike Binder; photographed by Russ Alsobrook; edited by Steve Edwards, Jeremy Roush; music by Rolfe Kent; production design by Pipo Wintter; produced by Michael Rotenberg and Jack Binder. A Columbia Pictures release, opens Friday. Running time: 2:08. MPAA rating: R (for language and some sexual references).
Charlie - Adam Sandler
Alan - Don Cheadle
Janeane - Jada Pinkett Smith
Angela - Liv Tyler
Donna - Saffron Burrows
Fast-Paised review: 'Reign Over Me'
This 9/11-related drama does a lot right and a lot wrong
By Matt Pais
March 22, 2007- Critic's Rating:
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