Reign Over Me

Dentist “Alan” (Don Cheadle) has built up a decent practice, is happily married with two children and he even has the Volvo. Outwardly content, he is finding things are starting to overwhelm him a bit - especially when patient “Angela” (Liv Tyler) asks for some extra veneer on her veneer! Travelling home one afternoon he espies the headphone-wearing “Charlie” (Adam Sandler) who he recalls he shared a flat with years ago at college. What he doesn’t know is that 9/11 impacted very profoundly on his friend and with little to live for, “Charlie” is stuck in a maelstrom of despair that although…

The really striking thing for someone who doesn't live in New York and isn't even American is that you don't initially realize what this film is about, even though you watched 9-11 as it happened on the TV. When I saw this several years ago for the first time, I found it really very moving and the more the film progressed, the more you really began to empathise with the deep trauma that had happened on an individual and a citywide level. I shall watch it again this evening (9/11/2026) and leave an updated part of this review. But I can already rate it at an 8 because it has stayed in my mind…