There have been a number of movies in the last few years focused on people dealing with the emotional devastation of 9/11 and, for the most point, I tend to avoid them as too painful or too likely to be maudlin. Somehow, though, I had the feeling that Don Cheadle and Adam Sandler could be trusted not to make those mistakes.

Reign Over Me, the story of how a lost friend (Cheadle) helps a lost soul (Sandler) come to grips with the loss of his wife and daughters, doesn’t make those mistakes. A terrific supporting cast helps too. Jada Pinkett-Smith, Saffron Burrows, Liv Tyler, Melinda Dillon, Robert Klein, Donald Sutherland and Paula Newsome all add to the total what their roles as family and friends permit.

Particularly surprising was the understated script by writer/director Mike Binder (though not his performance as Sandler’s friend), since his previous work rarely rose above the level of dreck like The Upside of Anger, Man About Town and especially the HBO flop comedy series Mind of the Married Man. Maybe I’m trying find excuse but I think the difference with Reign Over Me is likely down to the influence of the two stars, who produced it.

Mostly I like this movie because the story is primarily about having to go on with life after tragedy rips away the ones you love most, where the events of 2001 are the origin, offscreen, and next about how giving friendship can be repaid many times over in self-awareness.

definitely recommended