Can a film about 9/11 trauma find grace through friendship and video games?
In short: Released in 2007, Reign Over Me explores the unlikely reconnection between a bored dentist and his former college roommate, who is suffering from severe PTSD after losing his family in the September 11 attacks. It is a complex, often uneven drama that uses music and gaming to navigate profound grief.
Directed by Mike Binder, the film stars Adam Sandler as Charlie Fineman, a man living as a recluse in New York City after his wife and daughters perished on a hijacked flight. His life is defined by repetitive kitchen renovations, constant music, and an obsession with the video game Shadow of the Colossus. His path crosses with Alan Johnson, played by Don Cheadle, a successful but unfulfilled dentist who struggles to balance his own domestic life with the sudden responsibility of helping his old friend process an unimaginable loss.
The film received mixed reviews upon its release. Critics like A. O. Scott described it as maddeningly uneven, while Lisa Schwarzbaum noted a discomfort with using the 9/11 attacks as a plot device in a dramedy. Despite these critiques, the performances were widely praised, and the film gained recognition for its intelligent integration of video games as a thematic element. It remains a polarizing work that attempts to bridge the gap between lighthearted buddy-film tropes and the heavy, lingering reality of national trauma.
Financially, the film was a modest production, grossing $22.2 million worldwide against a $20 million budget. While it may not have achieved blockbuster status, it left a lasting impression on some, with actress Daisy Ridley citing it as the film that makes her cry the most in a 2017 interview. Ultimately, the story serves as a study of how friendship can act as a catalyst for healing, even when the path to recovery is fraught with fits of rage, legal battles, and the persistent, haunting silence of those left behind.
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