|
|
  
Back Shelf Beauties
|
The Longest Yard I wasn't too keen on anyone remaking this classic Burt Reynolds movie, but, if you get turned off by every remake popped out by the studios, it makes going to the movies near impossible these days. Therefore, I put aside my righteous indignation and found myself having a good time. Adam Sandler stars as Paul "Wrecking" Crewe - a former NFL MVP quarterback with the Pittsburgh Steelers (the greatest football team EVER). He was kicked out of the league for fixing a game, and placed on parole when convicted of racketeering charges. Since being banned from football, the frustration has grown within him, so, after a fight with his high maintenance girlfriend (Courtney Cox-Arquette), Paul goes on a drunken joyride in her expensive car, which ends in a massive police chase, and a violation of his parole. He is sent to a prison in Texas, where the football crazy warden (James Cromwell) forces Paul to organize a team of inmates to play against the guards. It's supposed to be an easy game for the well-organized, highly trained, championship caliber guards' team, but the inmates see an opportunity to get even with their sadistic handlers. Who will win the grudge match? At what cost? The Longest Yard is a great guys movie full of silly jokes and bonecrushing football action, but it loses some steam when the mood turns serious. Most of this occurs when director Peter Segal (practically Sandler's personal director with credits including Anger Management and 50 First Dates) lays it on heavy during moments when Coach Nate Scarborough (Burt Reynolds) is supposed to be inspirational and mystical. Segal tries too hard for Scarborough's scenes to have the right impact, but not hard enough if these scenes are supposed to be parody. Also, writer Sheldon Turner (based on the original movie and story), doesn't do a fantastic job of establishing the collusion between the guards and the warden. Some of this is Segal's fault as he focuses on many funny scenes of the inmates trying to gel together into a team and learn how to play football (the best parts of the movie, so I can agree with doing it), and some background about the warden's efforts is included, but not enough of how the guards are trying to sabotage the inmates, or how the warden is keeping an eye on that team's progress. However, all of that is nitpicking. The Longest Yard is a very good comedy. Sandler continues to show new sides of his acting ability by taking the role of leading man and portraying Paul Crewe in a reserved manner lacking Sandler's typical childish humor and outlandish behavior. He lets the situations and jokes win our laughs to great effect without the need to reach for some idiot behavior. Chris Rock as Caretaker (playing a role you see in every prison movie - "the guy who can get anything you need") is his typical wisecracking self with that big smile as he delivers the cutting one-liner, but it's the rest of the supporting cast that surprises. Most of the fun of watching The Longest Yard comes from the antics of the supporting cast and spotting the cameos, which make us feel like we have been invited to a cool party (sadly, going to this movie is as close as I get to that cool party). Cromwell is perfect as the menacing, evil warden who will stop at anything to get what he wants, while former football players Brian Bosworth and Bill Romanowski, along with pro wrestlers Stone Cold Steve Austin and Kevin Nash are perfect as the sadistic guards. Bosworth, Romanowski and Austin are very effective at being imposing, but Nash shocked me with his ability to be funny. In the movie, Nash's character, Engleheart, starts to have some strange reactions to pills he is taking, and he takes it to hilarious extremes, which tells me he might have a nice future in movies much like Terry Crews - a former football player who now plays tough guys in comedies like The Longest Yard. Also, look for football legend Michael Irvin as the boastful wide receiver Deacon Moss (OK, it's not much of a stretch for him, but it hurts me more than you can ever know to praise a former Dallas Cowboys player), and appearances from the biggest names in sports broadcasting (Dan Patrick, Chris Berman and Jim Rome). The Longest Yard runs a bit too long with one too many turning points at the end, but it's a hilarious comedy you can enjoy this weekend. 3 Waffles (Out Of 4) Copyright 2005 - WaffleMovies.com
|
