A compelling, transfixing human drama

Reign Over Me is an uplifting, emotionally-straining drama regarding friendships and heartbreaks set on the foundation of a person's life that was distressed by 9/11. It's intense but humorous, and heart-wrenching but touching. Reign Over Me also signifies an endeavour by Adam Sandler to undertake a serious role that espouses an unequivocally distinct style of humour. The former star of Happy Gilmore and other mediocre comedies attempts something dissimilar to anything he's done before. Instead of nonsensically overzealous and unnecessarily foul-mouthed, Sandler is poignant, challenging and moving.

If you're not in awe at the performances, you'll certainly find yourself profoundly amazed at the dazzling photography. This drama submerges straight into the intricate city setting: the grimy streets, the congested traffic, the regular appearance of apartment buildings...and yet the realistic view of the city is absolutely beautiful. The filmmakers opted to lense the film using digital HD in lieu of employing actual film. This look alone furnishes the film with an abundantly realistic edge. This incredible filmmaking, coupled with the equally moving music, will leave you completely transfixed. Regardless of a number of distracting script flaws, Reign Over Me is stimulating, thought-provoking and challenging - it's an extraordinarily rare event to behold this standard in a contemporary production.

Charlie Fineman (Sandler) is devastatingly afflicted with post-traumatic stress syndrome. His wife and daughters (even his poor poodle) were killed during the September 11 attacks on New York...they were passengers on one of the doomed planes. Now Charlie is distressed and living a desolate existence: he's neurotic and withdrawn...he no longer works, instead he lives off insurance money. Alan Johnson (Cheadle) is a lucrative dentist on the outs with his current dental colleagues. Alan remembers Charlie from college when they were roommates. A chance meeting between Alan and Charlie sparks an intimate friendship. In such a significant part of Charlie's life, camaraderie this special is critical to him. Alan takes a fascination in his erstwhile college friend, primarily by feeling of obligation. It's obvious that Charlie needs professional help to battle his condition that's spiralling hopelessly out of control. Alan becomes extremely determined to relieve Charlie from his grief, and help him escape from his emotional abyss.

The performances present in Reign Over Me are superbly compelling. Don Cheadle looks slightly out of place as the film's protagonist, but he gives the flawed material 100%. Adam Sandler is a scene stealer. The character of Charlie Fineman is challenging and very intricate. When the character breaks down to tears, Sandler is absolutely impeccable. If you lost family in the 9/11 attacks, you will be especially moved. Some people passed up the opportunity to catch the film during its theatrical run due to Sandler's status as a mainly comedic actor. It may seem difficult to accept the actor in a serious performance. Despite this predisposition, Sandler lets us quickly forget about being a typecast funny man. Liv Tyler looks perplexed among an otherwise stellar cast. She simply doesn't suit the role of a psychiatrist. Despite this piece of gross miscasting, top honours to the rest of the cast including Saffron Burrows, Donald Sutherland and even the writer/director Mike Binder appears as the character of Sugarman.

The director has skilfully crafted the film, employing spellbinding visuals and an equally amazing slate of dialogue. However, writer/director Binder's script feels far too cramped. He tries to incorporate too much into his screenplay. As a result, the film plods drastically during its mid section in particular. It's a moving tribute to those whose lives were affected on that fateful day in 2001, but despite solid filmmaking the film will occasionally bore you to sobs. Miscasting (looking at Liv Tyler in this instance) and occasional humdrum pacing prove lethal to this film, and it falls marginally short of its lofty intent. Also, the film loses the plot into its second half. Without a crackling story to maintain one's interest, it's impossible to feel entirely engaged in the proceedings as there's no underlying driving force. It's a succession of grand filmmaking featuring great photography and sublime acting with no glue to hold everything together. In the long run, you'll be baffled at the over-length. Although there is a clear message and a noble portrait on offer, it takes too long to paint a simple picture. Binder relies on its subject matter to see things through. But that's the fatal element - it's driven by concept instead of plot. With too many unnecessary sub-plots including a patient who wants to "go down" on Cheadle's Alan Johnson, there is lots of potential that is sorely wasted.

Overall, Reign Over Me isn't the clichéd drama that it promised to be. Underneath an ostensibly overdrawn succession of absorbing dialogue, there's a marvellous message to be uncovered. It encompasses foreign territory in relation to 9/11 - the consequences and repercussions of people whose lives were hopelessly altered by the tragedy. Reign Over Me is a truly enthralling character study that scrutinises the lives of two friends coming to terms with the world surrounding them. At times the film is simply faultless, but a tighter middle section and a better platform could have provided this film with tremendous benefit. It's far better than Sandler's brainless comedic roles; however it's clearly distant from Oscar material in spite of a potential to reach that quality.

7.1/10