The Longest Yard (2005)

Directed by: Peter Segal | 109 minutes | comedy | Actors: Adam Sandler, Chris Rock, Burt Reynolds, Nelly, Michael Irvin, Walter Williamson, Bill Goldberg, Terry Crews, Bob Sapp, Nicholas Turturro, Dalip Singh, Lobo Sebastian, Joey Diaz, Steve Reevis, David Patrick Kelly

‘The Longest Yard’ starts off well. Lax former football player Paul Crewe (Adam Sandler) gets behind the wheel drunk and then smashes up several police cars. He ends up in prison, where most would rather see him go than come. Paul Crewe has betrayed his own football team in the past, and if there’s one thing inmates hate, it’s traitors. He is bullied, but still manages to hold his own. In contrast to the rest, the director of the prison is very happy with his new prisoner. The guards of his prison play football. Because there is a competition coming up, the director wants them to gain a little more self-confidence. Crewe comes up with the idea of ​​putting together a football team of inmates. They have to take on the guards, with the idea that the guards will win anyway. What the director does not realize, however, is that the group of prisoners is slowly becoming closer and is doing everything they can to win.

‘The Longest Yard’ is a remake of the 1974 film of the same name. The film created a whole new genre at the time. Thirty years later, there is little originality about the genre. In recent years, dozens of similar films have appeared on the market. The basic elements? A team that competes against a stronger team. They almost lose during an important game. Then they join hands and still manage to win. Still, ‘The Longest Yard’ has plenty to entertain the crowd. This comedy relies on the pleasant acting of the protagonists, the beautiful images in Texas and the fact that guards and inmates compete against each other.

Lead actor Adam Sandler seems made for this role. His soft voice, his faint looks, his slim build. The contrast between him and all the broad jailers is beautiful. Sandler knows how to make the audience laugh without being over the top. It is not for nothing that he is constantly asked for comedies.

Funny that director Peter Segal is teaming up with Adam Sandler again. He also starred Sandler in his two most famous films, ’50 First Dates’ and ‘Anger Management’. Also nice that Burt Reynolds and Ed Lauter are playing again. These two actors also had roles in the 1974 film of the same name.

Especially the first half of ‘The Longest Yard’ is worth watching. The jokes are fun, the actors are evenly matched, the atmosphere is just there. The small realistic details are nice. The prisoner who knows how to smuggle everything in, the division between the convicts and the blackmail between convicts and guards. Things that also happen in real life. Too bad the game is taking so long. Segal is unable to remain captivated. After five minutes, it is time to watch for the whistle signaling the end of the game. All in all, ‘The Longest Yard’ is a fun light-hearted comedy.”