Review of Reign Over Me (2007) by Logan V — 04 Oct 2009

Alan Johnson (Don Cheadle) has everything he needs in life: a good job as a dentist and a beautiful loving wife and two children. Yet, he struggles to find an outlet in life. He feels isolated and his whole life is just about work and family life. He is desperately looking for someone to talk to about it, but he can not bring himself to make a proper appointment with psychiatrist Angela Oakhurst (Liv Tyler) who has her office in the same building as Alan. One day Alan sees his old collage roommate Charlie Fineman (Adam Sandler), a man who lost his wife and three children in the 9/11 attack and since then has created a world of his own where no one can reach him. Alan knows of Charlies grief, but has not spoken to him for years. He feels an urge to pick up the friendship with Charlie and try to help him find a way out of his emotional abyss. Charlie accepts Alan in his life, but their new found friendship is not taking the easy road. This becomes an awakening for both Alan and Charlie, and they both have to fight for each other to find new paths in life.

I was not sure what to expect of "Reign Over Me", but I liked it very much. This is a strong emotional drama with two sides of the coin so the speak. It is impossible to try to understand the grief after such a great loss as Sandlers character has experienced. I guess we all would have reacted differently, while Charlie chooses to erase the past in his mind and let music, films and video games take him to a different place where he is not hurting. Don Cheadle is a very good actor, with a natural way and he is fitting perfectly as Alan. Of course the big surprise here is to see that the former SNL-alumni Adam Sandler can pull off such a serious character as Charlie. I think the only minus is his weird voice and talk, which pulls down the credibility of the character in my mind. Nevertheless, good job Mr. Sandler. It was hard to see the scene in the psychiatrist waiting room when Charlie opens up to Alan. I think as well that the lovable views of New York, makes you just long to go there and see the city and take it all in. Plus I liked that the movie ended with a nice Pearl Jam cover of The Whos great song "Love, Reign Over Me". I can highly recommend "Reign Over Me".