... main acting cast) -
Reign Over Me tells the tale of a New York dentist, Alan Johnson (played by Don Cheadle), who one day spots his old college roommate, Charlie Fineman (played by Adam Sandler), who was badly affected by 9/11 when his wife and three daughters were in one of the doomed ... Read review
One of the first films to examine the aftermath of post- 9/11 New York City,Reign Over ... more
Meshows how much even indirect contact with those who lost loved ones in the tragedy can greatly affect. Like rings of debris spiraling out from an explosion, Charli...
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Adam Sandler, Don Cheadle, Liv Tyler and Jada Pinkett Smith star in this heart-rending ... more
story about Charlie Fineman (Sandler), a man who has slipped away from reality after the devastating loss of his family in the 9/11 terrorist attack. After a chance ...
One of the first films to examine the aftermath of post- 9/11 New York City,Reign Over ... more
Meshows how much even indirect contact with those who lost loved ones in the tragedy can greatly affect. Like rings of debris spiraling out from an explosion, Charli...
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Adam Sandler Don Cheadle Jada Pinkett Smith and Liv Tyler star in this heart-rending ... more
story about Charlie Fineman (Sandler) who has slipped away from reality after the sudden loss of his wife and children. But Charlie's life takes a turn for the bett...
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Reign Over MeAdam Sandler, Don Cheadle, Liv Tyler and Jada Pinkett Smith star in this ... more
heart-rending story about Charlie Fineman (Sandler), a man who has slipped away from reality after the devastating loss of his family in the 9/11 terrorist attack. Af...
Original One Sheet; Rolled Poster; Poster Condition: New; Size: 27 x 40 inches approx. All ... more
our items are despatched from the United Kingdom. Starring - Adam Sandler, Don Cheadle, Jada Pinkett Smith, Liv Tyler, Saffron Burrows We offer *** WORLDWIDE *** Delivery!, Manufacturer: MoviePostersDirect
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Production Year: 1995 - Drama - Director: Ang Lee - Original Language: English - Classification: Universal - Starring: Emma Thompson, Alan Rickman, Kate Winslet, Hugh Grant, Greg Wise, Hugh Laurie, Robert Hardy
Production Year: 1998 - Drama - Director: Carl Franklyn, Carl Franklin - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over - Starring: Meryl Streep, William Hurt, Renee Zellweger, Tom Everett Scott, Nicky Katt, Lauren Graham
Production Year: 2004 - Drama - Director: Nick Cassavetes - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over, 12 years and over - Starring: Rachel McAdams, Ryan Gosling, Gena Rowlands
Advantages: Solid performances, haunting and thought provoking, not too 'Hollywood'/pretty realistic Disadvantages: A bit slow to start with
...cast) -
Reign Over Me tells the tale of a New York dentist, Alan Johnson (played by Don Cheadle), who one day spots his old college roommate, Charlie Fineman (played by Adam Sandler), who was badly affected by 9/11 when his wife and three daughters were in one of the doomed planes.
While Alan clearly has his own issues, trying to talk to a psychiatrist (played by Liv Tyler) when she leaves her workplace, as he seems ... ...Certificate -
Reign Over Me is rated 15 in the UK. This is mainly due to some strong language and also some sex references, although there's little else to offend really, I noticed little, if any, real violence, there's no drug references or nudity.
- Official Website -
You can find the official website for this movie here:-
http://www.sonypictures.com/homevideo/reignoverme/ more
- Introduction -
I heard of this movie recently and it seemed to get rated well by other people. I knew it was a serious movie that dealt with 9/11 and I have to admit, as bad as it maybe sounds, I do have a bit of a fascination with 9/11, in terms of the effect its had on people, the human stories behind it.
I also knew that it starred Adam Sandler in a much more serious than usual role and it interested me to see how well he would pull this off. I was a bit concerned that it may be, like other movies, too 'Hollywood', obviously when dealing with such a real, still fairly recent and horrific subject matter as 9/11, the movie makers have to be careful not to be seen to be anything other than realistic, I think (in terms of how people deal with and move on from this, not as in footage of the event... if you know what I mean(?)) and I wasn't disappointed with this movie, as I felt it handled the subject matter well and it did seem pretty realistic and not too Hollywood sappy or anything like that to me.
- Main Credits (non-actors, which are mentioned further on in the review) - Source:- IMDB (see:- http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0490204/fullcredits)
Director - Mike Binder Written by - Mike Binder Producers - Jack Binder, Michael Rotenberg, Associate Producer - Jeff G. Waxman Executive Producers - Jack Giarraputo, Lynwood Spinks, Co-Producers - Rachel Zimmerman Cinematography - Russ T. Alsobrook
- Story (incl. main acting cast) -
Reign Over Me tells the tale of a New York dentist, Alan Johnson (played by Don Cheadle), who one day spots his old college roommate, Charlie Fineman (played by Adam Sandler), who was badly affected by 9/11 when his wife and three daughters were in one of the doomed planes.
While Alan clearly has his own issues, trying to talk to a psychiatrist (played by Liv Tyler) when she leaves her workplace, as he seems to struggle a bit with loneliness and other issues, its clear that things are not so good with Charlie, as he struggles to remember Alan and looks rather disshevelled(sp?). Things get worse when Charlie becomes suspicious of Alans motives when he mentions his late wife and then Alan gets accused of sexual harrassment by a somewhat obsessed now ex-client.
What will happen to Alan and Charlies friendship? can two old friends reconnect after so long? will Charlie get the help his needs? and what about the lawsuit? you'll have to watch the movie to see what happens to both of them.
Its also worth mentioning that Jada Pinkett Smith (Will Smiths wife) plays Alans wife, Janeane Johnon. Also Saffron Burrows and Donald Sutherland appear in this movie.
- Genre/Themes -
This is a drama, a slow moving, emotional drama, with a definite gritty, real-life element to it. You will want to have some tissues to hand for this one!.
The main themes present are of loss and grief, isolation, friendship and family.
- Thoughts/Opinions/Extra Information -
This is obviously a different role from the usual comedic ones that Adam Sandler is well known for. In this, he plays the rather permanently shell shocked looking Charlie and he pulls it off quite well.
It is, understandably, quite a sad movie, that delas mainly in grief and how its handled, how it can change and isolate a person. It also explores loneliness, a subject I feel I have some, if only a little, knowledge of.
You do feel sorry for Charlie, who's clearly lost his way and is suspicious of any real attempt to get him to open up, which causes some rather bad outbursts.
I felt that the movie is a little slow to start with and you'd have to be curious enough about the characters, to really want to find out more about them, about their past and so on, to really be engrossed in the movie.
I found the character of Charlie quite intriguing, you can see that he hides alot of emotions and memories behind his current exterior and as things unfold, you learn and can see, little by little, a bit more behind this exterior. Its quite uncomfortable viewing in places, as mentioned earlier you might well want tissues for this one, infact its practically a must!
This im sure will touch a nerve with anyone who suffered a loss or was otherwise affected on that fateful day of 9/11 and I do think that, in a way, it was, or is, a movie that needed to be made, to give, if just fictional, an insight into the struggles of somebody who suffered strongly from that day.
I'm sure there are people who have been affected like Charlie, it makes you think.
I felt that, as the movie progressed, it became quite haunting. You can really feel, or sense, his loneliness and frustration and as things take a turn for the worse, you can but hope for a good ending (which you'll see the movie to find out if there is one, of course. I try not to give too much away).
- Certificate -
Reign Over Me is rated 15 in the UK. This is mainly due to some strong language and also some sex references, although there's little else to offend really, I noticed little, if any, real violence, there's no drug references or nudity.
- Official Website -
You can find the official website for this movie here:-
Here you'll find information about the movie and about the newly released DVD (I rented it but you can also buy it of course) and there's also a photo gallery and some video clips.
If you click on 'Enter site', then a pop up window will load, where you'll find extra material, including production notes, information on the cast and film makers, information on the soundtrack/music and downloads, which consist of AIM icons, a screensaver and two wallpapers.
As ever, it uses Flash Player 9, so be sure to have that installed (or at least a fairly new version of Flash), if you want to be sure that it'll work. You should be able to download it for free through the Macromedia site.
- Conclusions -
In the end, I feel this is a sad, haunting movie that gives what I believe to be a pretty gritty and realistic look at the life of somebody thats disconnected from reality and unable to fully move on, after suffering from a major tragedy.
Both the main actors (Don Cheadle and Adam Sandler) play their roles well and its quite good to see Sandler play a different character to that of 'Happy Gilmore' or 'Little Nicky'. I felt that both actors did well in this, providing solid performances. The cast is good and the story felt realistic and so overall, I think it was done very well.
Its hard viewing in a way but it is is a very good movie and I would very much recommend it. Its thought-provoking, gritty stuff. Just be sure to have some tissues to hand ladies!
As always, I hope this review proves helpful for some. Thanks for reading!
Advantages: Brilliant acting - clever dialogue. Disadvantages: A bit slow at times.
Directed by: Mike Binder
Written by: Mike Binder
Genre: Drama
Country: USA
Certification: 15+
Language: English
Released: 20th August, 2007 (DVD)
MAIN CAST:
Adam Sandler (Charlie Fineman) Don Cheadle (Alan Johnson) Jada Pinkett Smith (Janeane Johnson) Liv Tyler (Angela Oakhurst) Saffron Burrows (Donna Remar)
Charlie's wife and daughters were aboard one of the planes that crashed into New York City's Twin Towers on 9/11. Unable to cope with ... ...way... by forcing himself to forget that they ever existed. Distancing himself from all those who knew his wife and children because he can't bear being reminded of the happy life he once had... and the terrible loss he's suffered... he becomes a loner.
Alan, on the other hand, is a successful dentist, married with two children, whose life is falling apart because of his lack of self-assertiveness. When Alan bumps into his old college roommate, ...
GoFigure 10.11.2007
· Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Reign Over Me (DVD)
Advantages: Great acting Disadvantages: Using 9/11 when maybe not needed
WHAT IS IT ABOUT: Adam Sandler plays the reclusive Charlie Fineman, a man who lost his family in he 9/11 terrorist attacks. When old friend Alan Johnson (Don Cheadle) bumps into him unexpectedly, the two being a relationship that makes both face their problems.
WAS IT ANY GOOD:
Fans of Adam Sandler will know him for his typecast dopey yet lovable comedy roles, and yet this film is not just serious, it deals with a very current source of pain to ... ...America. Straight away you there have two obstacles that will prevent some from enjoying this film: 1) Adam Sandler in a serious role is hard (if at all possible) to get to grips with. However, in Sandler's defense, his previous film 'Click' saw the combination of fun with serious, so he was clearly making a transition towards it (and it worked very well in that film) it just depends whether you can buy it or not. For me, I struggled at first, but ...
bruffyboy 05.01.2009
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Reign Over Me (DVD)
Advantages: A good central performance from Adam Sandler. Disadvantages: Ill-judged writing that makes a poor melodrama out of a tragedy.
New York dentist Alan Johnson is frustrated with his life. His partners in his dental practice don't listen to him, his wife is determined to schedule every second of their free time and his kids treat him like a taxi service. But then he bumps into his old college roommate Charlie Fineman, who is traumatised by having lost his whole family on 9/11. Charlie lives his life trying not to think about what happened, but Alan is determined to make him ... ...not an easy thing to do… It is said that the road to hell is paved with good intentions. I would add that the road to filmmaking hell is paved with misguided movies. Writer-director Mike Binder makes the mistake of piggy-backing his story on one of the greatest tragedies of recent years. It smacks of opportunism and makes the movie feel distasteful as it tries to profit from others' misery. That it does so without any insight into the immense impact ...
afy9mab 14.01.2008
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Reign Over Me (DVD)
Advantages: Great storyline, brilliant performances Disadvantages: Quite long
Synopsis
Alan Johnson (Cheadle), a New York dentist, runs into his college roommate, Charlie Fineman (Sandler), by chance after Fineman loses his family in the September 11 tragedy. The two re-spark their friendship, beginning a tentative journey towards recovery..
Story
Alan Johnson, a dentist in a successful New York practise should be happy. Apart from his career he has a loving family (a wife and two daughters) and a nice house and lifestyle. ... ...bed by 10.30pm, doing jigsaws, photography classes and never going out. Alan then has a chance encounter with his old college room-mate, Charlie, which chances his life.
Charlie has been a recluse for the last 4 years after his wife and three daughters were killed in one of the hijacked planes on 9/11. Charlie has shut out people from his past and his memories to stop himself having to deal with the pain. The pair rekindle their friendship but tings ...
hollywoodmum 14.01.2008
· Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Reign Over Me (DVD)
Advantages: Great acting, very strong story, strong cast, eye opener Disadvantages: Not the Adam Sandler comedy some might expect, can drag on at some points
I bought this dvd as an Adam Sandler fan, but this is in a completely different category of film.
A touching film with a few moments of comedy which puts things into perspective.
Adam Sandler plays Charlie Fineman, a man who lost his family in the terrible events of 9/11, they were in one of the planes that was flown into the towers and Don Cheadle plays Alan Johnson, the forer college roommate of Fineman who he hasn't seen since college.
Charlie ... ...to forget as much as he can about his former life and falls into a life of playing video games and collecting records. Alan has continued up the career ladder after leaving college and has now become a dentist with his own practise. Alan sees Charlie one day in the street but Charlie doesn't recognise him, the story then goes on as Alan becomes concerned for his former friend and tries to rebuild the friendship, what he fails to realise is that there ...
rik13 17.10.2007
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Reign Over Me (DVD)
Charlie Fineman is a New York dentist whose post-traumatic stress caused by the loss of his wife and children on 9/11 sees him regressing to a sort of second childhood dominated by videogames, record collecting, and riding his motor scooter around the city. A chance run-in with his former college roommate spurs Charlie’s first attempts at remembering his past. However, it will take more than the company of a good friend to get Charlie back to the world.
Release details
DVD Region
DVD
Studio(s)
SONY PICTURES HOME ENTERTAINMENT; CINRAM LOGISTICS
Languages
Main Language
English
Subtitle Language
English, Greek, Hindi, Greek, Hindi, English
Hearing Impaired Language
English
Technical information
Special Features
Behind the scenes featurette, Photo montage, Extended jam with Adam Sandler and Don Cheadle
Aspect Ratio
2.40 Wide Screen
Sound
Dolby Digital 5.1
Professional reviews
Review
Cheadle’s finest hour and proof that Sandler can act (Empire, 16/07/2007)
Sandler's detached air and Cheadle's winning hesitancy play well... (Sight and Sound, 16/07/2007)
DVD Description
Demonstrating the same understanding of the complexities of human relationships that characterised his 2006 film, THE UPSIDE OF ANGER, and his short-lived television series, THE MIND OF THE MARRIED MAN, writer/director Mike Binder once again taps into the same fertile ground in this story of one man’s difficulty reconnecting with the world after experiencing a great tragedy. In another role showcasing his relatively untapped talent for dramatic roles, Adam Sandler is Charlie Fineman, a New York dentist whose post-traumatic stress caused by the loss of his wife and children on 9/11 sees him regressing to a sort of second childhood dominated by videogames, record collecting, and riding his motor scooter around the city. A chance run-in with his former college roommate, fellow dentist, and family man Alan Johnson (Don Cheadle) spurs Charlie’s first attempts at remembering his past. But though Alan is genuinely glad to try and help Charlie, it will take more than the company of a good friend to get Charlie back to the world. Striking just the right balance between comedy and pathos, Binder’s script elicits another great performance from Cheadle, and allows Sandler to continue to prove that he’s capable of far more than the comedies that made him a box-office superstar. They are accompanied by a stellar supporting cast including Jada Pinkett Smith as Alan’s vigilant wife, Janeane; Liv Tyler as the therapist who finally gives Charlie a healthy outlet for his grief; and Saffron Burrows as a neurotic patient of Alan’s. Though REIGN OVER ME could be classified as a post-9/11 film, Binder never exploits the point and never actually mentions the event by name. The stunning New York location shots look as lovely as any in cinematic memory.
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