Ryan ChartrandIn the years since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, many lives have been altered by great loss and suffering. Tough situations face the families and friends who were personally affected by the tragedy. For better or for worse, our nation has made choices that will have consequences both in the near and long-term futures. We as Americans are urged to “never forget” the moment that changed our society so drastically.
Some people have no choice. Some people forget by choice in order to never remember. In “Reign Over Me,” that person is a man named Charlie Fineman (Adam Sandler). Those expecting a reprisal of the Sandler of old, such as the hapless father from “Big Daddy” or the angry golfer from “Happy Gilmore,” will be disappointed.
But that disappointment should fade quickly as one comes to realize this is the “new” Sandler. Once Sandler’s career is finished many years from now, some will look back and mark “Reign Over Me” as the pivotal film in which Sandler begins to display his true range and skill as an actor. Charlie Fineman is a haunted man, and Sandler plays the role with such a heart-wrenchingly powerful conviction that the power of the acting remains even during the roll of the credits.
Don Cheadle, of “Hotel Rwanda” fame, plays Alan Johnson, a New York dentist. By happenstance, Johnson encounters Fineman on the way home from work, and the two quickly rekindle their friendship they shared in college, where they had been roommates.
Under the stoic-yet-silent gaze of New York City, Johnson and Fineman come to understand that the isolated lives they live are not as happy as they once believed. Johnson’s marital troubles and legal conflicts at his job drive him further into the freedom he desires from life, something which he does not have under the responsibilities he carries as an adult. Fineman, on the other hand, is content to exist in the shell of his own body. But their lives meet head-on, Fineman’s fragile world comes crumbling away from its foundations.
However, “Reign Over Me” is not about Sept. 11. Rather, it seeks to make sense out of the senselessness that occurred on that infamous day. It also asks tough questions about how society treats those who need serious help. What kind of help is the right kind for a man who lost everyone he loves in a seemingly meaningless terrorist action? How does one reconcile the feelings of a broken heart with the actions of a lunatic? What does friendship mean, and more importantly, how far is it OK to go as a friend? It also asks about the importance of family and the void that love fills in everyday life.
In short, “Reign Over Me” shows us a man who has the normalcy we all take for granted stripped away from him, and then asks the audience to seriously consider the implications of such a shock to the psyche.
“Reign Over Me” is an excellent piece of cinema. It is poignant to today’s world without being overbearing. It delves deeply into the unimaginable pain of the victims of Sept. 11 by encapsulating the injustice and grief through its actors. It is not only recommended that everyone see this film, it is important that everyone see this film. It offers a realistic, alternative perspective to the events that changed the country without getting bogged down in politically driven conflict.
Sandler’s performance is dynamic and powerful. Cheadle brings energy and passion to the story while keeping the movie firmly grounded in recognizable reality. Mike Binder, writer and director, should be applauded for his vision and his script. Do not pass on this film. It is not intellectually simple to watch, but it is worth the time and ticket price.