Tanya Batson-Savage, Freelance Writer
Forced to field a team to take on their prison guards, former pro quarterback Paul Crewe (Adam Sandler, right) and Caretaker (Chris Rock) make their case to their fellow inmates. - CONTRIBUTED PHOTOS
THE LONGEST Yard is a great popcorn movie. It has the potent combination of prisoners and American football, which takes the idea of contact sport to a whole new level. The movie is quite funny, both in the 'ha-ha' sense and in the 'don't-drop-your-soap' kind of humour.
The Longest Yard is a standard sports/salvation flick, where a former jock finds a comeback in the most unlikely place. That place is prison. When Paul 'Wrecking' Crewe, a former football star who has fallen on very hard times and landed in a puddle of booze winds up in prison, he is commissioned to create a team to play against the guards. Of course, he gathers all the misfits, sociopaths and psychopaths the prison has to offer to create a very mean outfit.
HARD-HITTING JOKES
Brilliance is not among the traits that can endear one to The Longest Yard - and it doesn't need it, because the jokes hit hard and they usually hit below the belt. Originally created by Alberi Ruddy, with Tracey Keenan Wynn writing the 1974 screenplay, The Longest Yard is finding its third incarnation.
The last time around, it used football and was dubbed The Mean Machine, directed by Barry Skolnick and with a cast lead by football-rude-boy-turned-actor Vinnie Jones. In this reincarnation, the motley crew of prisoners is led by Adam Sandler as Crewe. Chris Rock plays his sidekick, Caretaker.
Those who tremble in fear at Rock's performances (with the hallowed exception of his role as Pookie) need not worry. Caretaker is not an acting role. It simply allows Rock a chance to rant his usual spiel, as though it were stand-up with other people present.
Interestingly, despite the light nature of the show, Sandler is showing a sense of maturity as he gives a serious take of his character, actually seeking to bring forth a reasonably three-dimensional man. Of course, the light nature of the film blocks the attempt, but it is not a bad one.
SKILFUL CAST
Generally, the cast was quite good and the film is heavily dependent on their skills. Nelly gives an impressive turn as Megget and indeed he does look right at home in prison. One of the most striking members of the cast, however, is former Dallas Cowboy Michael Irvin, who comes to magnificent life as Deacon Moss.
Burt Reynolds (Coach Nate Scarborough), who played the lead in the 1974 version of The Longest Yard, also takes up a supporting role, though it is not a particularly impressive one. The team is filled out by Nicholas Turturro (Brucie), Terry Cres (Cheeseburger Eddie) and Joey Diaz (Big Tony). Big Tony mainly brought his belly to the flick and it was quite a sight to behold.
The movie has been made twice before and the makers know what works, so they have filled it with tried and tested jokes, cross-dressing and much bone-crunching contact. It's far from brilliant, but it's quite funny - at least by a yard.
