Image Courtesy of Amazon.com
Director:
Peter Segal
Cast :
Adam Sandler……….Paul ‘Wrecking’ Crewe
Chris Rock……….Caretaker
Burt Reynolds……….Coach Nate Scarborough
James Cromwell……….Warden Hazen
Walter Williamson……….Errol Dandridge
Michael Irvin……….Deacon Moss
Nelly……….Earl Megget
Edward Bunker……….Skitchy Rivers
Lobo Sebastian……….Torres
Bob Sapp……….Switowski
Dalip Singh……….Turley
David Patrick Kelly……….Unger
Terry Crews……….Cheeseburger Eddy
Nicholas Turturro……….Brucie
Joey Diaz……….Big Tony
The Movie
If there’s one thing that separates Adam Sandler from the rest of the SNL alumni is that beyond his success lies a man who has never settled for just ‘being funny’ in one particular way. He’s always raising his game: 2004’s Spanglish was a wonderful dramatic turn for an actor most renowned for juvenile bathroom humor.
And in 2005, he raised his game once again. While he has been in a remake before, he took on the task of remaking one of the greatest football movies ever made: The Longest Yard.
And he’s not only remaking a classic movie. He’s trying to add a new wrinkle to one of most noteworthy performances and characters of Burt Reynolds’ career in Paul ‘Wrecking’ Crewe. Like in the 1971 version, Crewe is a washed up former NFL quarterback who manages to land himself in prison. From there, he’s pegged to lead the inmates in a game against the prison guards in a game with lots of consequences.
Joining him in this remake is long-time friend Chris Rock as Caretaker, Crewe’s right hand man. Reynolds even steps in, much like Michael Caine did in 2000’s Get Carter, as Coach Nate Scarborough.
The movie is driven by several factors. The first is the chemistry in its two headlining comedians. Sandler and Rock are friends off screen and have the same chemistry that their characters do. Sandler is more of the straight man to Rock’s collection of one-liners, but it also is also a much different chemistry. Reynolds and Jim Hampton (the original Caretaker) had a great chemistry, but Rock brings something different to the table. His commentary on race relations is something Hampton couldn’t get away with 30 years ago (or now, even) due to the fact that Rock is black and can get away with making the sort of observations which would brand Hampton a racist. It makes for an interesting dynamic, but Rock isn’t doing anything more than being himself. Sandler himself really throws himself into the role.
Sandler’s dedication is evident early on. Physically he looks much more powerful than in any other movie he’s been in; he looks the part of a former NFL football player. He also acts and moves like a quarterback, doing little things on the field that someone who has been there, done that. He struggles when given a lot of the dialogue that Reynolds had, but when he’s allowed to develop Crewe in his own way he does a great job. He is able to convey the sort of plucky underdog spirit in his more juvenile films with a more adult character. Sandler leads a well-chosen cast list as well.
Comprised of former athletes, pro wrestlers and an occasional hip hop artist, they jump into their roles. They are also given just enough character that they aren’t overwhelmed or out of their depth. Peter Segal deserves a lot of credit for not trying to take more out of his actors than they can provide.
Newcomers like R&B artist Nelly, former NFL wideout Michael Irvin and pro wrestling stars Steve Austin and Bill Goldberg all are given just enough to make their characters work without their relative lack of acting experience being exposed. Bob Sapp, a kickboxing star, plays Switowski in much the same way Richard Kiel played Samson. They aren’t exposed as being chosen more for their athletic credentials than their acting abilities. Segal crafts his characters around their athletic and acting talent to its’ utmost. Irvin, for example, doesn’t give a long soliloquy about the nature of relations. He has a couple lines and is able to convey his character with what he does physically.
While both movies are going to remembered for being distinctly different, as the Reynolds version is more about the issues involved with authority and Sandler’s is more of a dumb comedy, the remake of The Longest Yard is a fun movie with a well-chosen cast and smart direction.
Score : 9 / 10
The Video
Presented in a widescreen format, The Longest Yard looks fantastic. The colors aren’t muted, there is no bleeding and the picture is sharp.
The Audio
With a Dolby 5.1 surround, Sandler’s remake sounds spectacular. With a soundtrack and hard tackling that demands it, the DVD brings a loud, crystal clear sound to a film that needs one.
The Extras:
First Down and Twenty-Five to Life is a featurette featuring Peter Segal, Adam Sandler and other members of the cast and crew talking about filming the movie. It’s a 20 minute featurette about the entire film. It has some real interesting things about the movie as they bring in all the principles and talk about the movie in some depth.
The Care & Feeding of Pro Athletes is a featurette about how they kept the entire cast fed. When you have a cast of former professional athletes and professional wrestlers, trying to keep them well fed in the sort of heat was quite the accomplishment. Running around six minutes, it’s unique to hear the cast talk about who could eat the most, et al.
Lights, Camera, Touchdown! is a five minute featurette on how they shot the football scenes. In an era when the NFL has reinvented how sports are shot, Segal and crew talk about they shot the scenes and the realism needed to make it look authentic.
Extra Points features Segal talking about how they created some of the shots used in the movie.
Deleted/Extended/Alternate Scenes with Optional Commentary are scenes taken out of The Longest Yard for various reasons. It’s pretty easy to see why they were left out, as they either took away from the plot, slowed the pace down, or were flat out not funny.
Fumbles and Stumbles is a collection of outtakes and flubbed lines. Nothing too incredibly hilarious, but some good moments, though, liven up what are usually the low point of a DVD release.
Commentary by Director Peter Segal
Music Video “Errtime” by Nelly
Music Video “Here comes the boom” by POD
Score : 9 / 10
