‘Reign Over Me’ tackles 9/11's emotional effect
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ISSUE: 11/29/07 > A&E > ‘Reign Over Me’ tackles 9/11's emotional effect
After the shockingly realistic “United 93” and the heartfelt “World Trade Center,” audiences face another emotional roller coaster in “Reign Over Me.” Written and directed by Mike Binder, “Reign Over Me” tells the story of dentist Alan Johnson (Don Cheadle) who accidentally runs into his old college roommate Charlie Fineman (Adam Sandler), a man who lost his entire family in the World Trade Center terrorist attack of Sept. 11.
Fineman is a man who has been beaten more emotionally than any man ever should; he tries with every breath to live his life unaware of 9/11. Johnson is the only person in Fineman’s life that doesn’t remind him of his family, providing Fineman with his first friend in six years. Johnson finds that Fineman is no longer the same person he knew in college, and he begins an emotional journey to help Fineman remember a day that he’s worked six years to forget.
Sandler constantly tugs at your heart as Fineman, bringing innocence to the role that makes you see him almost as a child. He pushes Cheadle, and in some scenes passes him. In the emotional climax between Johnson and Fineman, Sandler delivers a monologue that will break the heart of any viewer who remembers September 11.
The direction of Mike Binder helps to make “Reign Over Me” the real emotional experience that it was meant to be. His camera work serves to bring certain scenes almost to a reality television feel, much like Michael Mann’s direction in “Collateral,” which helps make the scenes more raw and real.
Despite the strong lead by Sandler and some nice direction from Mike Binder, his at times uneven script keeps the film from becoming great. While I felt horrible for Fineman, and he broke my heart on several occasions, he was at times equally as frustrating. Also, a conflict between Johnson and his wife serves as a distracting sub-plot. With further development it could have been useful, but left the way it was, it only detracted from the movie.
Though imperfect, but at the same time far from bad, “Reign Over Me” works differently than other 9/11 films because it tells the story of those left behind. Because of this subject matter, the film will tug at the heart of any viewer. It succeeds because it uses fiction to let the audience experience a situation that we all know many people had to endure after Sept. 11, 2001.
Buy it, Rent it, or Leave it: A solid film that everyone should see once, “Reign Over Me” makes for a perfect rental.
