FILM REVIEW

Friendship in 9/11 aftermath

Charlie Fineman’s story is not unique in America. His family died in the Sept. 11 attacks on New York City and Washington D.C.

This tragedy, which has left an indelible mark on the American subconscious, is only recently making its way to the silver screen through depictions of the tragic day.

Yet “Reign Over Me” (Columbia), the story of Charlie Fineman, takes a different approach. Instead of Sept. 11, 2001, the film focuses on the destruction’s aftermath years later.

At its core, “Reign Over Me” is not a film about 9/11. It is a film about grief and the touching effects of friendship.

The film begins five years after the terrorist attack. Alan Johnson (Don Cheadle) runs into his old college roommate Charlie Fineman (Adam Sandler).

Charlie doesn’t remember his old friend. The post-traumatic Charlie acts like a preadolescent after the loss of his wife and three daughters on Sept. 11, 2001.

Although everyone in the film is aware of this, Charlie is oblivious to his eccentric, erratic and destructive behavior. Reality is the last thing Charlie wants to deal with as he denies ever having a family and goes into fits of rage when any piece of his pre-9/11 life is mentioned.

Alan, who is in a marriage in which he feels a bit suffocated, latches onto Charlie and decides to get him help.

Ultimately, both Charlie and Alan are changed for the better by the friendship they rebuild. In this way “Reign Over Me” crystallizes the importance of relationships.

Charlie begins to take steps toward recovering, but it is only because of the supportive relationship of unconditional love that develops between him and Alan.

He is able to bury one set of relationships because of the strength provided by his rekindled friendship.

Sandler and Cheadle nail their respective parts in some of the best friendship acting in recent cinema. The two actors play off one another’s energy onscreen and the result is both touching and electric.

Sandler soars as the grieving widower caught in an earthly purgatory, mourning and eventually moving on despite the tragedies of his past life. His adolescent, emotional adult character is never overplayed, never doubted and always captivating.

But the plotlines aren’t without a small number of weaknesses. The introduction of a potential love interest in Charlie’s life sidetracks the story and is a bit farfetched. The script also relies on coincidences, such as Alan bumping into Charlie in Manhattan twice in two weeks.

Any blemishes in plotline are wiped away by the strong dialogue and impressive acting that reign in the film.

The film’s creators stress the importance and impact of families throughout the film and — although “Reign Over Me” is not perfect — it shows what unconditional love between friends might look like.

The film is not a story about a strong man helping a weak man; it is about two friends pulling each other up.

The friendship benefits both parties equally. That is the great message of “Reign Over Me” — people don’t need to be saved by their friends, they need to be loved.

Beyond the personal, the story delicately and effectively incorporates what happened to all Americans five years ago. It is tragic, but ultimately the film offers a great deal of hope.

Rebecca Bostic is a regular contributor to The Catholic Sun. Comments are welcome. Please send e-mails to letters@catholicsun.org.