Getting Even

Rating: 8/10 (21 October 2005)

In Peter Segal's 2005 remake of "The Longest Yard" Paul Crewe (Adam Sandler) is sent to a Texas penitentiary for violating his parole of shaving points in a professional football game. The jailhouse warden threatens to extend Crewe's stay if he does not comply with orders of helping out the prison's semi-pro football team that consists of past collegiate stars turned jail guards. A deal is made to play an exhibition game between the sadistic guards and the vengeful inmates. With the help of Nate Scarborough (Burt Reynolds), and "Caretaker" (Chris Rock), Crewe builds a tough and motivated football squad. In the end the stage is set for an all-or-nothing result that will last forever.
"The Longest Yard" sends a simple message across to the viewers that opportunities come around in life which must be seized. Paul Crewe went through his life as a sports hero, but it all changed when he was caught in a bad situation with some worse people. After Crewe fixed a big time football game, he started to give up on life. However, prison turned out to be the best thing that ever happened for Crewe, because he began to care for people again. One particular inmate's story of how he captured his moment by punching the warden (but ended up being sentenced to an additional thirty years) inspired Crewe to take care of business because the inmate said it was worth every minute.
Take away the annoyingly horny secretary, the awkward male cheerleaders, "cheeseburger Eddie," and the movie is perfect. The heavy hits and comic relief are side-splitting to watch and to hear. The unique characters are what make this film so dynamic. Giants, fat men, and ripped athletes make a hilarious tandem. Seeing cruel prison guards obviously on steroid diets show fear to the prisoners they tortured for so long in a game that they have dominated for years is fantastic. Appropriately, the music pumps viewers up for the electrifying hits and imaginative plays. It is a blast watching the ironically sensitive and caring prisoners stepping up and getting even.