Mayor Ed Koch Goes To The Movies
Reign Over Me (+)
Normally, I would not see a movie starring Adam Sandler.
He is a good actor, but I think of his films as being part of the slapstick
genre joyously viewed by children. The plot of this film, however, is
totally different than his usual movies.
Alan (Don Cheadle), a well-to-do dentist who lives in a large apartment
on Park Avenue, is very conservative in manner and dress. He has a beautiful
wife, Janeane (Jada Pinkett Smith) and two daughters.-
Alan’s dental school roommate, Charlie (Adam Sandler), has suffered
a terrible loss. His wife and three daughters were killed on one of
the 9/11 planes that were hijacked. Charlie, who has not gotten over
his grief, has become a recluse, appears to be psychotic, suffers from
paranoia and is prone to fits of rage.-
We meet Charlie’s mother-in-law (Melinda Dillon) and father-in-law
(Robert Klein) who are concerned about him, notwithstanding his rejection
of them. An incident involving Charlie’s violent behavior ends
up in court, presided over by Judge Raines (Donald Sutherland). All
of these actors are excellent in their roles and Sandler and Cheadle
give an outstanding performance.
Alan tries to help his friend by spending time with him. They ride around
New York on Charlie’s motor scooter, and the local scenes rival
those in Woody Allen’s Manhattan film.
Alan has problems of his own at his dental office, with a patient, Donna
(Saffron Burrows), who is also a patient of a psychiatrist/neighbor,
Angela (Liv Tyler). I won’t ruin the hilarious situation for you
by revealing it here.
If you respond to this movie as I did, you will lose yourself in it.
The tragedy suffered by Charlie and his sad response is overwhelming
and rings true. His plight will cause the tears to flow, but the film
is in no way a soap opera.
The New York Times film critic, A.O. Scott, wrote critically, “The
delicate insights toward which ‘Reign Over Me’ at first
seems headed, and the psychological subtlety of much of the acting,
are squandered in revelations and confrontations that belong in a made-for-TV
weepie. Mr. Binder can be a smart writer and a fluent director, but
he can’t quite keep his dumb ideas from getting in the way of
his good ones. He’s a bit like Charlie without Alan, spinning
his wheels and lost in his own head.”
Scott is wrong on this one. Bravo to Adam Sandler for expanding his
horizon.
HS, with whom I saw the movie, said, “From watching this film,
you would never think Adam Sandler is a comic actor, and the 9/11 tragedy
is treated sensitively, not visually, in this unusual movie.”
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