Neil Estep and Veronica Santiago review the theatrical release of Reign Over Me in this FilmCrunch movie review: Former college roomates Charlie Fineman and Alan Johnson meet up again by chance on a Manhattan street corner. Five years after losing his family on 9/11, Charlie--once a successful dentist--has retreated from his life, and Alan is stunned to see the changes in his formerly gregarious friend. At the same time, Alan--who should be enjoying his beautiful wife, children and career--is overwhelmed by his responsibilities. Their rekindled relationship becomes a lifeline for the two men, who are both in need of a trusted friend at this pivotal moment in their lives.

The movie’s focus is everywhere, I think mainly because Charlie’s salvation story is not very interesting enough for a full-length feature. We have all lost loved ones. Some might have perished in tragic accidents. Charlie’s reaction is neither common nor realistic.