The Longest Yard, 2005

I've never been a huge fan of sports movies. Some are enjoyable, to an extent, but I never see any replay value in them. I mean, once I've seen one football game, I've seen them all. There's a few exceptions, but I find this to hold pretty true. In order for me to truly enjoy a sports movie, there has to be a lot more to the story than just the "big game." While The Longest Yard had its moments, ultimately it was all about the finale game. I've never seen the original 1974 version, but I can't imagine it was any better. I mean, Burt Reynolds was fine as the "old" coach waiting to get back at the guards, but I can't see him as the main character. Besides, it was Adam Sandler and Chris Rock that made The Longest Yard worth watching. The rest of the actors, wrestlers, pro-athletes, and rappers were just extra faces. Nelly showed that even though Ludacris can strut his acting skills in Crash and impress, Nelly shouldn't quit his day job. Basically, while the cast of celebrities was fun to watch, none of them can act their way out of a paper bag. The Longest Yard's problem is that no part of it stood out in any significant way. I laughed a few times, but I don't remember what I laughed about. The humor was funny but recycled. It's the kind of stuff that better movies rely on as filler. The plot was typical sports movie rehashing. The direction was dripping with style, but too many different styles, all borrowed from other directors. In short, no part of The Longest Yard was original in any way. If you're a fan of sports movies or football in general, you'll probably get more enjoyment from The Longest Yard than I did. If you're a Sandler fan, don't expect another Happy Gilmore or Billy Madison; this simply isn't Sandler at his best. In the end, The Longest Yard is another rehashed comedy that is just slightly better than mediocre.

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