Reign Over Me is a 2007 American buddy drama film written and directed by Mike Binder, produced by his brother Jack Binder, and starring Adam Sandler, Don Cheadle, Jada Pinkett Smith, Liv Tyler, Donald Sutherland, Saffron Burrows, and Mike Binder. The film follows the story of former college roommates and old friends Alan and Charlie, the latter of whom is struggling with mental health issues after the loss of his wife and daughters in the September 11 attacks. This was also Melinda Dillon's final film acting role before retiring from acting later that same year and her death in 2023.
Distributed by Columbia Pictures, the film was theatrically released on March 23, 2007, and on DVD and Blu-ray on October 9, 2007. It is the first of two films produced by Madison 23, a drama subsidiary of Sandler's Happy Madison Productions.
Plot
After the Twin Towers went down in 2001, Charlie Fineman lost everything important in his life. Five years have passed since Charlie's wife and daughters died and now the once-successful and sociable man has become a withdrawn shadow of his former self. He does not discuss his loss, causing his in-laws to worry for his sanity, believing that he has struck the tragedy from his mind.
When Charlie suddenly runs into his former college roommate Alan Johnson together once again on a Manhattan street corner, Alan is shocked to see just how far his old friend has fallen. Charlie's hair is long and he wears a headset constantly to let music drown out any mentions of his wife and children.
Though on the surface it would appear that Alan, a successful dentist, has it all, the pressures of a family and career have been weighing heavily on him. At a pivotal moment when Charlie and Alan both need a trusted friend, the restorative power of a rekindled friendship provides a lifeline needed to move forward.
Alan endeavors to bring Charlie out of his shell by convincing him to see a therapist. Barely communicative, he ends every session after only a couple of minutes. His therapist says he needs to tell the story about his family to someone eventually and Charlie soon tells Alan his tragic story. Later on, following a suicide by cop attempt, Charlie ends up in a psychiatric ward.
Legal proceedings commence, and Judge David Raines must determine whether to commit Charlie to psychiatric care. After Charlie suffers a breakdown, Raines leaves the decision to Charlie's in-laws, asking them to think of what their daughter would want for him. Charlie approaches his in-laws in the lobby of the courthouse, stating that he does not carry pictures nor discuss his family because he sees them every day, in the faces of people walking down the street. They decide that he should not be committed; instead, Charlie moves to a new apartment, leaving behind the painful memories associated with his former home.
Alan visits Charlie in his new home and his wife calls and tells him "I love you and just want you to come home." The apartment's doorman brings out Charlie's scooter, telling Alan not to leave stuff lying around. He tells the doorman to take it back upstairs, but he does not respond. Not knowing what to do, Alan decides to ride home on the scooter.
Cast
Adam Sandler as Dr. Charlie Fineman, a man who lost everything important when the Twin Towers collapsed Don Cheadle as Dr. Alan Johnson, a dentist who is the former college roommate of Charlie Jada Pinkett Smith as Janeane Johnson, the wife of Alan Liv Tyler as Dr. Angela Oakhurst, Charlie's therapist Saffron Burrows as Donna Remar, Alan's "stalker" patient Donald Sutherland as David Raines, a judge at the committal hearing Mike Binder (film's director) as Bryan Sugarman, Charlie's protective pre-tragedy best friend Robert Klein as Jonathan Timpleman, Charlie's father in-law Melinda Dillon as Ginger Timpleman, Charlie's mother in-law Jonathan Banks as Stelter, Alan's abrasive dental practice partner John de Lancie as Nigel Pennington, a "covert" therapist Alan arranges Paula Newsome as Melanie, Alan's protective dental practice receptionist Ted Raimi as Peter Saravino, Charlie's committal hearing lawyer Rae Allen as Adell Modell, Charlie's protective landlady B. J. Novak as Fallon, the DA's committal hearing lawyer
Soundtrack
The many songs during the film include Bruce Springsteen's "Out in the Street" and "Drive All Night", "Simple Man" by Graham Nash, and a few songs by the Who, including the titular "Love, Reign o'er Me". The latter appears on the film's soundtrack, along with a cover version recorded specifically for the film by Pearl Jam.
