As a former huge
Adam Sandler fan, when I came across The
Longest Yard in 2005, I watched it with all the enthusiasm I could
muster—and even made sure to see it again. The movie was funny, and the acting
reminded me why, at one time, Adam Sandler was an actor worth watching. (Now,
his movies are an eyesore.)
But this review isn’t about the
2005 version—it’s about the original. Here’s a classic movie for
everyone to see. The remake is about 80% like the first, as I noticed not only
was the screenplay similar, but even the lines were almost identical.
Seeing Burt
Reynolds in his youth is something we all need to appreciate this fine actor.
His portrayal of a proud, obnoxious, retired football player struggling to get
his life together after a disgraceful exit from professional sports is spot-on.
The screenplay
was well thought out, especially the football scenes. The other actors in the
movie also gave it their all, making sure that while watching, it felt more
like a real amateur football game than just a bunch of guys hitting each other.
The plot, as
mentioned earlier, follows retired football player Paul "Wrecking"
Crewe (Burt Reynolds), who gets himself locked up for drunk driving and
assaulting two police officers. In prison, the warden wants him to help the
semi-pro football team he’s in charge of, so they can win the semi-pro
competition.
The problem is,
Crewe just wants to serve his 18 months and leave, not realizing that in
prison, things operate by a different set of rules. After some painful
persuasion, Crewe agrees and has to create a team from his fellow convicts. The
plan is for the guards to play against them and dominate, boosting their
morale. But little do the guards know, Crewe and his team have other plans.
Comparing both
movies—the original and the remake—I can see why the original was highly
praised while the remake wasn’t well-received. One major reason is that after
seeing the original, I felt the remake didn’t add much. It was just a replica
with a different cast. A little twist in the story would’ve been nice.
At the end of
the day, this is a movie you’ll like and enjoy. There’s guaranteed laughter and
a touch of tragedy to keep you glued until you see how it all ends. The remake
is not bad also, just less dark.
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