Summary
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.
Cast
Adam Sandler
Paul Crewe
Chris Rock
Caretaker
James Cromwell
Warden Hazen
Burt Reynolds
Coach Nate Scarborough
Nelly
Megget
William Fichtner
Captain Knauer
David Patrick Kelly
Unger
Tracy Morgan
Ms. Tucker
Cloris Leachman
Lynette
Michael Irvin
Deacon Moss
Bill Romanowski
Guard Lambert
Brian Bosworth
Guard Garner
Terry Crews
Cheeseburger Eddy
Nicholas Turturro
Brucie
Bill Goldberg
Battle
Kevin Nash
Guard Engleheart
Steve Austin
Guard Dunham
Bob Sapp
Switowski
Steve Reevis
Baby Face Bob
Lobo Sebastian
Torres
Dalip Singh
Turley
Joey Diaz
Big Tony
Edward Bunker
Skitchy Rivers
Michael Papajohn
Guard Papajohn
Conrad Goode
Guard Webster
Brandon Molale
Guard Malloy
Todd Holland
Guard Holland
Walter Williamson
Errol Dandridge
Allen Covert
Referee
Rob Schneider
Punky
Chris Berman
Self
Jim Rome
Self
Patrick Bristow
Walt
Lauren Sánchez
Self
Dan Patrick
Officer Jack Pugh
Christopher Neiman
Big Ear Cop
Ed Lauter
Duane
Sean Salisbury
Vic
Rob "Revolution" Moore
Gavin
Big Boy
Jesse
Michael H. Goodwyn
Con Transvestite
Ray Stoney
Con Transvestite
Michael Silas
Con Transvestite
Andre Fuentes
Con Transvestite
Lonnie Henderson
Con Transvestite
Asiel Hardison
Con Transvestite
Colin Kim
Con Transvestite
Mark Robert Ellis
Stretcher Guy
Timothy F. Crowley
Umpire
Mr. Porter
Basketball Convict
Bizarre
Basketball Convict
Proof
Basketball Convict
Kuniva
Basketball Convict
Bryan Burwell
Sportswriter
Sam Farmer
Sportswriter
Jay Glazer
Sportswriter
Peter King
Sportswriter
John McClain
Sportswriter
Adam Schefter
Sportswriter
Larry Weisman
Sportswriter
Marc S. Ganis
Lorenzo
Shane Ralston
Bradlee
Jenae Altschwager
Party Guest
Candace Juleff
Party Guest
Bryan Ross
Party Guest
Ricardo J. King
Press Box Technician
Stink Fisher
Cafeteria Prisoner
Jasper Pendergrass
Cafeteria Prisoner
Sean McNamara
Cafeteria Prisoner
Robert Harvey
Cafeteria Guard
Eric Chmielecki
Guard Sniper
Denise Marie Jerome
Guard Cheerleader
Jaayda McClanahan
Guard Cheerleader
Tara Wilson
Guard Cheerleader
Rachel Saydak
Guard Cheerleader
Cara-Lee Knodel
Guard Cheerleader
Nora Hassan
Guard Cheerleader
John Hockridge
Guard Hock
Courteney Cox
Lena (uncredited)
Jason Williams
Texas State Policeman (uncredited)
Steven Alford
K-9 Officer Beller (uncredited)
Kyle S. Brown
Football Fanatic (uncredited)
Swifty McVay
Basketball Convict (as Swift)
Crew
Director
Peter Segal
Screenplay
Sheldon Turner
Story
Albert S. Ruddy
Reviews
John Chard
June 27, 2016
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
Media
Status:
Released
Original Language:
English
Budget:
$90,000,000.00
Revenue:
$191,466,556.00
Keywords
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