Reign Over Me, a movie directed by Mike Binder, is the story of Charlie Fineman (Adam Sandler), a man who suffers from post traumatic stress disorder brought on by the death of his family in the Sept. 11 attacks. The story begins with Charlie's life in the peak of his seclusion from the real world. His hair is shaggy and greasy, he wears the same clothes everyday and he rides a scooter around New York City like he's an eight-year-old child. He blocks out the real world by putting on his oversized earphones and listening to his MP3 player and refuses to remember anything about his family.
Charlie's life is turned around when he runs into his old college roommate Alan Johnson (Don Cheadle). Alan discovers Charlie in the middle of traffic and, from then on, desperately tries to save Charlie from his own insanity.
Reign Over Me is a different take on the effects of the Sept. 11 attacks. For the first time, we see the lasting personal trauma wrought by the horrible event rather than a depiction of what actually happened. The plot is simple yet smart. The bond that Charlie and Alan form is a clever way of explaining the characters' need for a friend in difficult periods of their lives. Together they regress into a boyhood manner in which they spend their days as if they had no responsibilities. They ride down the streets of New York on Charlie's scooter together, play video games and eat Chinese food late into the night.
Cheadle does an amazing job of portraying a man who has found himself stuck in a rut and bored with his life at home. He is tolerant of Sandler's character while still seeming realistic. Cheadle brings a balance to the craziness of Charlie, but not at the expense of his own character's strong personality.
Sandler was excellent in his depiction of Charlie. Although I am not his biggest fan, he did a wonderful job of playing a man who has nothing left to live for. His acting is of the same caliber as his Spanglish performance and bears little resemblance to his past weak performances (Little Nicky anyone?). He talks in that boyish-lisp we have seen before, but this time it is more appropriate and fitting for his character. He makes Charlie seem insane but in a relatable way. He creates a character we can easily forgive, even when he is acting ridiculous toward Alan.
What is also amazing about this movie is the incredible group of actors who play smaller roles. Donald Sutherland plays a judge in the last half hour of the film and Liv Tyler plays the beautiful, eager-to-help psychiatrist. The addition of these supporting roles rounds out the quality of the movie.
The only problem with the film is that about a half-hour could be cut without losing much. The middle drags, leaving you impatient for resolution.
Reign Over Me, will make you cry, laugh and feel uncomfortable. The film is not fast-paced or gripping, but the relationships are real and the subject matter is intense. If you wish to see a dramatic film about the loss of one man's will to live, see this film. If you are looking for what Adam Sandler is usually known for, a trip to the movie store would be more appropriate.
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