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All Movie Info
Starring:
Adam Sandler, Don Cheadle, Jada Pinkett Smith, Liv Tyler, Saffron Burrows, Donald Sutherland, Robert Klein, Melinda Dillon, Mike Binder, Jonathan Banks, Rae Allen, John de Lancie, Paul Butler, Paula Newsome, Paula Newsome, Camille LaChe Smith
Directed By:
Mike Binder
Written By:
Mike Binder
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Reign Over Me (2007)
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Movie Review by Zara 
October 14th, 2007
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Welcome to adulthood
I believe that the angle of the 911 widow/widower is being overdone recently. But once you throw out that angle in this movie, what you're left with is a very strong film about grief and how to deal with the loss of people that are important to you.
Adam Sandler is continuing to improve on his dramatic skills, learning that on the opposite side of the cinematic spectrum, it's much better to be subdued than a wild extrovert. The first time that I ever saw Sandler in anything it was MTV's "Remote Control" and I f*cking hated him. I thought he was a hack comic that ruined the fun aspect of the show, as if there was a lot to be ruined about that show.
But as he's aged, he's matured. And maturing, especially when you're a comedian, is a rough thing to do. Having to face the mostly unpleasant matters of being an adult, all the responsibilities that come along with that, is hard. I think this movie spotlights that well. Where Cheadle's character covets (yes, I believe that was the correct term, thanks Jada) Sandler's character's freedom, ignoring the fact that he's going through a profound amount of grief, is something that everyone does. The single mom looks at the married, stay-at-home mom of four and thinks she's got it easy while in reverse that m-o-4 looks at the single mom with one child and thinks that life must be so much more simple with only one kid and no man.
The point is that life is hard from EVERY angle. And it's especially hard when you have to try and see it from someone else's perspective. To want the best for someone without destroying the fabric that they've constructed to keep them personally feeling safe.
There are some uncomfortable and unnecessary moments in the film (the entire angle with Saffron Burrows is completely unneeded) and a couple of over the top dramatic notes, but the parts which are heartfelt are very much so. Overall the movie is a strong portrayal of being an adult and finding a way to live with the fact that you are one.
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