Paul Crewe (Adam Sandler) was a celebrated football player back in the day, but that celebrity has faded into scandal. When a drunk-driving incident lands him in jail, Paul finds that he has been singled out from the other prisoners by Warden Hazen (James Cromwell), a treacherous prison official who is well aware of Paul's athletic skills. The warden asks Crewe to put together a team of inmates to take on (and get pummeled by) the guards.
It is a funny movie, but I wouldn’t exactly call it a comedy. It’s a sports film. In other words, it’s the story of an underdog. And who can be more underdog than prisoners versus their guards… the oppressed against their oppressors. A very rich struggle could have been effortlessly drawn from this set up. And from time to time, it was.
It’s also a remake that seems to get a certain seal of approval through the presence of the original lead, Burt Reynolds.
But this isn’t a Burt Reynolds movie anymore. It’s an Adam Sandler film this time around. While the original was an Oscar contender, this Longest Yard feels more like a moodier follow-up to Waterboy.
The majority of the film is dedicated to setting up the team based on the strength, speed and meanness of the players. I never had the slightest doubt that the prisoners would win the game.
The real question, I suppose, comes from Adam Sandler’s character and his willingness to make the right decision for the good of his team (as opposed to helping the warden in exchange for an early release). But Sandler’s character is just a muted version every other role he’s ever played before. His conflict is spelled out for us in his exchanges with the warden, but his character is self-contained and his conflict doesn’t really come alive for the audience… it only gets in the way of the big game for a moment or two.
In the end, the Longest Yard is like the original… only without all the character development and inspiring drama.
Best Bonus Feature: The DVD has a French Audio Track. I really enjoyed hearing the Professional Wrestlers deliver their lines in French.
Rent or Own: Rent, but only if the original has already been checked out.
