alan johnson ( don cheadle ) be a successful dentist and who share his practice with other business partner . alan also have an loving wife ( jada pinkett smith ) and he have two daughter ( camille lache smith and imani hakim ) . he also let his parent stay in his huge apartment in new york city . but somehow and he feel that his life be somewhat empty . one ordinary day in the city and he see his old college roommate charlie fireman ( adam sandler ) . which alan hasn not see charlie in year . when alan try to befriends with charlie again . charlie be a lonely depressed man and who hide his true feeling from people who care for him . since charlie unexpectedly lose his family in a plane crash and they be on one of the plane of september 11 and 2001. when alan nearly feels comfortable with charlie . when alan mention thing of his past and charlie turn violent towards alan or anyone who mention his deceased family . now alan try to help charlie and try to make his life a little easy for himself . but alan find out make charlie talk about his true feeling be more difficult than expect . write and direct by mike bender ( blankman and indian summer and the upside of anger ) make an wonderfully touch human drama that moment of sadness and truth and comedy as well . sandler offer an impressive dramatic performance and which sandler offer more in his dramatic role than he do on paul thomas anderson punch drunk love . cheadle be excellent a usual . pinkett smith be fine a alan supportive wife and liv tyler be also good a the young psychiatrist and saffron burrow be quite good a the beautiful odd lonely woman and who have a wild crush on alan . this film be sadly an box office disappointment and despite it have some great review . the cast be first rate here and the writing and director be wonderful and russ t. alsobrook terrific widescreen cinematography . the movie have great nyc location and which the film make new york a beautiful city to look at in the picture . dvd have an sharp anamorphic widescreen ( 2 . 35 represent1 ) transfer and an good dolby digital 5 . 1 surround sound . dvd also an jam session with sandler and cheadle and an featurette and photo montage and preview . i be expect more for the dvd feature like an audio commentary track by the director and delete scene . reign over me be certainly one of the best film that come out this year . i be sure and this movie look great in the big screen . which sadly and i haven not have a chance to see it in a theater . but it be also the kind of movie that play well on dvd . the film have an good soundtrack a well and it have plenty of familiar face in support role and bit part . even the director have a bit part a byran sugarman and who an actor himself . reign over me be one of the most underrated picture of this year . it be also the best sandler film in my taste since the wedding singer . don not miss it . hd widescreen . ( half out of ) .