I’m really looking forward to this film.
I like Mike Binder’s movies. I really liked THE UPSIDE OF ANGER. I liked THE SEX MONSTER. I enjoyed MIND OF THE MARRIED MAN on HBO. I liked LONDINIUM and INDIAN SUMMER, and I just finally caught up to MAN ABOUT TOWN on DVD the other day, and... unsurprisingly... I liked it. I don’t think Binder’s made his “great” movie yet, but I think he’s warming up to one. I really dig the trailers for REIGN OVER ME, and I’m already a believer that Adam Sandler is capable of great work in the right movie.
Is this that movie? I’m seeing it for myself next week. For now, here’s “Billy Madison” with his take on things:
I saw this film and I'm here to tell you don't believe the hype. It's good (because of the acting by Cheadle and Pinkett), but not great (because of the story). I'm going to keep spoilers to a minimum.
Adam Sandler stars as Charlie Fineman, a widower who lost his family during the 9/11 attacks. Charlie is content just riding around town on his motor scooter, his head in a fog, when one day he's spotted by his old college roommate, who's now a married dentist, Alan Johnson (Don Cheadle). Alan knows something is not right with his friend, and throughout the course of the movie, the two old roomies discover lessons about life and love.
One problem I had with this movie, is that while it's a dramedy, the comedy's not that funny, and the drama (or at least the way it plays out in the movie) is not that compelling.
Also, I can't understand how some critics are raving about Sandler's performance. It's a typical Sandler role, only this time it's in a different context. If you take a can of soda and pour it's contents into a wine glass, is it still soda, or do you now call it Merlot? That's what we have here. Sandler has made a career out of playing socially awkward types. You can say this about every single lead role he's played, including Punch Drunk Love. And of course, no Sandler film is complete without the requisite scene where he loses his temper and resorts to violence.
This one's no exception.
If you see this film at all, see it for Don Cheadle, who gives in my opinion, the performance of his career. Cheadle brings his A game here, as does Jada Pinkett Smith who plays his wife. I hope Sony promotes his performance as a LEAD and not a BEST SUPPORTING role come Oscar season.
Cheadle's got more screen time than Sandler (thank god) and has to work twice as hard as Sandler, simply because he has to carry Sandler in most of his scenes. In their scenes together, it's clear to see who the actor is and who the comedian is. Sandler's performance is rather one note and consists mostly of him doing a variation of Dustin Hoffman's character in Rain Man, with a twist..he hardly moves his lips!!
If Adam Sandler really wants to be taken seriously as an actor, he needs to try playing different characters, not the same character in a different setting. Adam Sandler playing a socially awkward character, is like Tom Cruise playing someone who's cocky and arrogant.
Like I said before, the real reason to see this film is Don Cheadle. The scenes at his office are without question, the most energetic (the film drags a bit), especially his scenes with Saffron Burrows, who plays a psychotic patient.
From a technical standpoint, the film was very well directed and even though it takes place in NYC, much props to the director for not using the typical New York locations that 99% of film makers use. As a native New Yorker, I found it refreshing. I think it was shot in HD, and in my opinion was really well shot.
If I had to rate this movie on a scale of 1-10 I'd give it a 7, just for the performances by Cheadle and Pinkett. Their chemistry is amazing, and I really wish the movie was about them and not Sandler, whose character and storyline I didn't really care for.
If you use this, call me...
Billy Madison
