The Longest Yard (Movie)

Adam Sandler : Paul ‘Wrecking’ Crewe
Chris Rock : Caretaker
Burt Reynolds : Coach Nate Scarborough
James Cromwel : Warden Hazen
Directed by Peter Segal

I went to this movie with full expectations that it was going to be a total disaster but I ended up really surprised; it wasn’t half bad. Don’t get me wrong; this movie will most likely not be nominated for any Academy Awards, but it’s a fun movie to watch and worth a couple hours of your time.

This summer season has been filled with remakes and the 2005 version of The Longest Yard is a remake of the 1974 picture of the same name that starred Burt Reynolds. I had seen the original movie and really liked it. (although I was pretty young at the time so I liked just about any movie that had lots of violence and scantly clad women), but I had big doubts that this movie would live up to the original. Really, Adam Sandler, playing the part of a tough football player? It just didn’t seem like it would work.

But it did work.

Adam Sandler was able to pull of the part of Paul Crewe, an ex-quarterback with a reputation for point shaving who ends up being sent to prison after stealing his girl friends car and running from the police.

Sandler did a good job with this. He didn’t come across as a tough guy like Reynolds did in the original, but he was believable as an ex-quarterback that was in over his head and was dealing with the situation as best he could. Sandler is a very likeable actor, but often gets over the top goofy while performing his parts and while this act may appeal to ten year old boys, it gets pretty grating for the rest of us. In this part Sandler was appropriately restrained. Perhaps, we have director Peter Segal to thank for that.

Chris Rock, played the part of “Caretaker” in this movie, a prisoner who befriends Crewe, but like in every film that he has ever been in, he really just played Chris Rock. But that’s OK. Chris Rock is a very funny and likeable guy and even though he played himself, he was perfect for this part.
I knew Burt Reynolds who played Paul Crewe in the 1974 version was in the movie and I expected that it would be a cameo appearance, where he’s seen for seconds as a tribute to his place in the original movie, but it turns out he actually had a major part in this flick. He played Nate Scarborough a long time prisoner and ex football coach who helps Crewe put together and train the team. Reynolds who always played the charming redneck in the 70’s has adapted well to his new role as co-star and plays the part well without trying to upstage Sandler.

James Cromwell played the part of Warden Hazen. Cromwell has been around for years and has played all sorts of different parts. His roles have ranged from Archie Bunker’s friend Stretch Cunningham in All in the Family, to likeable farmer Arthur Hoggett in Babe to the drunken Dr. Zefram Cochrane in Star Trek: First Contact. Although his characters have been many and quite varied he’s always been quite believable. Once again in The Longest Yard he does a great job. This time portraying a sleazy warden with political ambitions who’s trying to put together a football team who’s visibility will aid his political campaign.

The story of The Longest Yard is really quite simple and telling you about it will take nothing from your enjoyment of the picture. Paul Crewe, an ex-quarterback with a bad reputation gets sent to prison and is recruited by the warden to put together a team of prisoners to take on a team composed of prison guards. Conditions in the prison are brutal, and although the prisoners are a rag tag bunch with little hope of success, Crewe is able to build up a team that actually has a chance of winning against the guards. Most of the time in the film is spent recruiting and training the team, during which time you get to know and hopefully like the prisoners that will be playing on the team. The payoff comes in the end; the big game where the prisoner team gets to play the guard team. (Unlike the original, this game is so important that it’s televised on ESPN - thank you product placement)

Will the prisoners win or will the guards win?

I won’t give it away, but if you’ve seen any movies like this at all you already know the answer. But it doesn’t matter. Like most trips, the real fun is getting there and The Longest Yard is no different.

Although I haven’t seen it since 1974 my feeling is that the original movie did it a little bit better, but I still think you’ll find the 2005 version very enjoyable and worth seeing.

7 out of 10 Stars

Posted by Al on 01/11/10 at 05:58 PM in Movies