Just watched:
Reign over Me
I have said it before and I will say it again. Adam sandler NEEDS to do more dramatic films. In the small taste of what dramatic acting he’s done (Punch Drunk Love, Reign Over Me and Funny People) he can take himself to another level entirely. Two absolutely fabulous acting performances in this film between him and Cheadle who always delivers. Reign Over Me is charming, witty and ultimately heart-breaking at times. Not one emotion is left untouched. The script is very well written, I genuinely laughed out loud at least 10 times and there was never a dull moment. Hell of a job by Mike Binder directing this. A very sore subject matter involving a widower from the 9/11 terrorist attacks, that Binder handled quite well. Alongside the problems of Sandler’s character, Cheadle faces his own battles. He is struggling to connect with his wife and he feels under appreciated at the work place. Through the bond he creates with Sandler he is able to cope with both.
One scene in particular blew me away, when Sandler’s character opened up for the first time. I was almost in tears because of it. Magnificent acting on Sandler’s behalf. From that scene on is when the film really starts to pack a punch. The ending is a really nice touch to the film. It is very optimistic and the fate of the characters is ultimately up to the decision of the viewer. I adored the heck out of this film. A true hidden gem.
8/10
