It doesn't make a big deal of it in the script, but the movie is a story of a man who lost his family in the 9/11 terrorist attacks, they were in one of the planes that flew into the Tower. The movie is about the grief and sense of loss that the man tries to deal with, and how friendship with a long-lost friend can make all the difference.
Adam Sandler is the man, Charlie Fineman. He is frumpy and seemingly aimless in his life, still living in the apartment he had shared with his wife and 3 daughters 6 years earlier, re-modeling his kitchen over and over. Once a dentist, now he rides a skateboard type of motorized scooter all over Manhattan. He is not at all short of cash, from the insurance and government settlements. But he clearly is hurting inside.
A chance spotting of Charlie on the streets by Don Cheadle as Alan Johnson begins the story of this movie. Alan was a friend of Charlie's, a roommate in dental school, and now a very successful dentist. Charlie doesn't even recognize him. So Alan does the only thing he can, he tries to become the friend that Charlie seems to need.
Jada Pinkett Smith is good as Alan's wife, Janeane. Liv Tyler is cute and effective as Angela Oakhurst, a psychiatrist that has an office near Alan's office. The crazy lady is played by Brit Saffron Burrows as Donna Remar, a patient of Alan's who makes an unsolicited sexual offer, then later threatens to sue Alan. She tries hard to do a believable American accent, but it sounds like a Brit trying to do an American accent, not really sounding like any American accent.
There is a court appearance where Charlie's competence is being questioned and Donald Sutherland is superb in a small but important role as Judge Raines. Mike Binder, the writer/director, is effective as Bryan Sugarman, a lawyer and friend that helps see that Charlie's wealth is not misspent.
All in all a very fine movie about friendship. I especially liked the interactions between Cheadle and Sandler. Although a drama, there are many funny moments, and a few touching ones also. Plus, the music chosen for the sound track is really good.
SPOILERS. Charlie always reacts negatively and some times violently at the idea that "friends" are trying to get him into therapy. One scene, where he is on the street with a gun, and then arrested, leads to his 3-day hospitalization then later to the court appearance. His break comes after another non-productive session with Angela (Liv Tyler) where she says, as he is leaving, "You need to talk to someone, not necessarily me." He goes out and begins to open up to his friend Alan, the first time he has been able to face the tragedy, and that helps him get onto a road to recovery. His last conversation with his wife was by phone in Boston at the airport, and the conversation ended with him being unkind, something he had never forgiven himself for. Getting past that seemed to be his biggest obstacle.
Adam Sandler is the man, Charlie Fineman. He is frumpy and seemingly aimless in his life, still living in the apartment he had shared with his wife and 3 daughters 6 years earlier, re-modeling his kitchen over and over. Once a dentist, now he rides a skateboard type of motorized scooter all over Manhattan. He is not at all short of cash, from the insurance and government settlements. But he clearly is hurting inside.
A chance spotting of Charlie on the streets by Don Cheadle as Alan Johnson begins the story of this movie. Alan was a friend of Charlie's, a roommate in dental school, and now a very successful dentist. Charlie doesn't even recognize him. So Alan does the only thing he can, he tries to become the friend that Charlie seems to need.
Jada Pinkett Smith is good as Alan's wife, Janeane. Liv Tyler is cute and effective as Angela Oakhurst, a psychiatrist that has an office near Alan's office. The crazy lady is played by Brit Saffron Burrows as Donna Remar, a patient of Alan's who makes an unsolicited sexual offer, then later threatens to sue Alan. She tries hard to do a believable American accent, but it sounds like a Brit trying to do an American accent, not really sounding like any American accent.
There is a court appearance where Charlie's competence is being questioned and Donald Sutherland is superb in a small but important role as Judge Raines. Mike Binder, the writer/director, is effective as Bryan Sugarman, a lawyer and friend that helps see that Charlie's wealth is not misspent.
All in all a very fine movie about friendship. I especially liked the interactions between Cheadle and Sandler. Although a drama, there are many funny moments, and a few touching ones also. Plus, the music chosen for the sound track is really good.
SPOILERS. Charlie always reacts negatively and some times violently at the idea that "friends" are trying to get him into therapy. One scene, where he is on the street with a gun, and then arrested, leads to his 3-day hospitalization then later to the court appearance. His break comes after another non-productive session with Angela (Liv Tyler) where she says, as he is leaving, "You need to talk to someone, not necessarily me." He goes out and begins to open up to his friend Alan, the first time he has been able to face the tragedy, and that helps him get onto a road to recovery. His last conversation with his wife was by phone in Boston at the airport, and the conversation ended with him being unkind, something he had never forgiven himself for. Getting past that seemed to be his biggest obstacle.