The Longest Yard

PG-13

5/27/20051h 53m

Theatrical Release (US)

~ If you can't get out, get even. ~

Overview:

Disgraced pro football quarterback Paul Crewe lands in a Texas federal penitentiary, where manipulative Warden Hazen recruits him to advise the institution's football team of prison guards. Crewe suggests a tune-up game which lands him quarterbacking a crew of inmates in a game against the guards. Aided by incarcerated ex-NFL coach and player Nate Scarborough, Crewe and his team must overcome not only the bloodthirstiness of the opposition, but also the corrupt warden trying to fix the game against them.

Director:

Peter Segal

Status:

Released

Language:

English

Buget:

$90,000,000.00

Revenue:

$191,466,556.00

Key words:

prison
corruption
prisoner
smuggling (contraband)
sports
american football
blackmail
american football coach
texas
san diego, california
prison warden
prison guard
remake
inmate
based on movie
quarterback
prisoner abuse
political aspiration
public disgrace
american football player
probation violation
federal penitentiary
shaving points
hotbox
football game

Cast

Adam Sandler

~ as ~

Paul Crewe

Chris Rock

~ as ~

Caretaker

James Cromwell

~ as ~

Warden Hazen

Burt Reynolds

~ as ~

Coach Nate Scarborough

Nelly

~ as ~

Megget

William Fichtner

~ as ~

Captain Knauer

David Patrick Kelly

~ as ~

Unger

Tracy Morgan

~ as ~

Ms. Tucker

Cloris Leachman

~ as ~

Lynette

Michael Irvin

~ as ~

Deacon Moss

View full cast & crew

Reviews (1)

John Chard
Written 9 year(s) ago
8
You're as maniacal as a box of kittens.

A remake of Robert Aldrich's 1974 film The Mean Machine, which starred Burt Reynolds, this version sees Peter Segal direct and Adam Sandler headlining. Also starring are Chris Rock, Burt Reynolds, James Cromwell and William Fitchner.

One time gridiron superstar Paul Crewe, now disgraced, gets himself sent to a prison run by a gridiron fanatical warden. Coerced into being part of a match between the guards and the cons, Crewe has his work cut out to make a team out of misfits, runts and near idiots!

Adam Sandler has always proved divisive, and this film has proved to be no exception. Massively popular at the box office (over $100 million profit), it's a film that anyone with an aversion to Sandler should stay away from. I mean if by 2005 you hadn't realised he's not for you then why would you watch this?

Coming from someone who absolutely adores the original film, I had no hesitation in watching this, I like Sandler and I don't mind remakes as I'm always intrigued to see how they pan out. This is full of prison stereotypes, close to the knuckle humour and meaty violence, but is it funny? From my perspective yes it is, very much so, with some of the dialogue sparkling and delivered with comedic grace by a fine cast. But that's me, others, as we know, don't feel the same.

The action is well put together by Segal, the convicts training sequences are great fun, while the main game that crowns the pic is exciting, dramatic and yes, great fun. The support slots contain more beef than an Aberdeen Angus stew, with the likes of Michael Irvin, Terry Crews, Steve Austin and Brian Bosworth fronting up, while David Patrick Kelly playing a weasel is never a bad thing. A lot of people loved it in 2005, I'm now one of their number. 7/10