Here's another remake that simply doesn't need to be made. First of all, the original wasn't a case of a promising story idea mishandled the first time around -- the original was well cast (Burt Reynolds was terrific in the lead, and there wasn't a wrong choice for any of the supporting roles, either), superbly executed, very funny and is still very entertaining when viewed today.
Second, this is not the case of a foreign film needing to be "Hollywood-ized" for American audiences. The original was about as true-blue American as you can get -- although they did use a few euphemisms instead of their four-letter-word equivalents -- maybe THAT is what attracted Adam Sandler to the project -- the opportunity to say the "F" word multiple times on screen.
Which brings up the most compelling reason this project is a stinker before the first foot of film is shot -- Sandler isn't really funny (or particularly talented). He is about as subtle as a turd in the punchbowl at a wedding (in fact I think he's BEEN the turd in a punchbowl at a wedding.) :>) His acting range doesn't even stretch from "A" to "B" -- it goes directly to "zzzz".
He epitomizes the old saying "no one ever went broke underestimating the taste of the American public". The alternate version of the old saying is "no one ever went broke underestimating the intelligence of the American public". He pretty well nails that one too.
In case I haven't made the point clearly enough, even if "The Longest Yard" were a property crying out to be remade (which it isn't), I don't think Adam Sandler is the man for the job. Any job. But especially not trying to play a role that has been done so well by someone else. Why, oh why, do they do this? (OK -- the answer would either be: “for vanity” or “for money”.) I hope they lose a lot of $$$ on this one. But, alas, chances are, that old saying will be proven true once again.
Burke
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