By Mike Stuart
20/04/2007
Certificate: 15
Running Time: 124 minutes
Adam Sandler is a bit of an enigma. Responsible for some of the worst mainstream comedies of recent years, he also surprised critics with his starring role in the wonderfully whimsical 2002 film Punch Drunk Love. Reign Over Me again proves that Sandler can hold his own in films which aren't just aimed at beer-swilling fratboys who love cameos by Rob Schneider.
Set in New York, Reign Over Me follows discontent dentist Alan Johnson (Don Cheadle) who runs into his old college roommate Charlie Fineman and tries to rekindle their friendship. Fineman is a troubled, angst-ridden manchild who has been traumatised after losing his entire family in 9/11. He initially resists Johnson's attempts but they eventually become buddies and consequently become wrapped up in each other's lives. As Johnson tries to struggle the his lack of communication with his wife, Fineman tries to come to terms with trauma.
The dialogue and imagery treads very lightly around the subject of 9/11 and it is more often alluded to than specifically talked about. This could be used as a criticism of Reign Over Me, but at its heart this is a buddy movie and so the focus is on the two characters and their buregoning friendship. The pathos in the film never spills over into cloying sentimentality and is very nicely balanced by some genuine moments of hilarity. Despite being overlong and losing its way slightly towards the end, Reign Over Me is a genuinely enjoyable film and another notch in the bedpost of quality for Sandler.
Rating: 7 out of 10
Reign Over Me is released in the UK on April 20th 2007
David Jensen Photography:
https://www.davidjensen.co.uk/
