The Longest Yard

The Longest Yard is a 2005 remake of the 1974 movie with the same title. Featuring Adam Sandler, Chris Rock, Burt Reynolds, James Cromwell, Rob Schneider and cameos from Dan Patrick and Chris Berman, the movie was released on May 27, 2005. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0398165/releaseinfohttp://www.imdb.com/title/tt0398165/fullcredits#cast

The movie also featured several current and former professional wrestlers and athletes, including Bob Sapp, Kevin Nash, Bill Goldberg, Brian Bosworth, The Great Khali and Michael Irvin. In addition, rapper Nelly had a major role, playing the running back Megget. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0398165/fullcredits#cast

The movie was successful at the box office, taking in $58,613,245 in its opening weekend and $158,119,460 over its run in the theaters in the United States.http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0398165/business The movie was directed by Peter Segal and was released by Paramount Pictures in the United States and worldwide by Columbia Pictures.

The Longest Yard is the highest grossing comedy remake of the modern box office era, spanning from 1980 forward. http://www.boxofficemojo.com/genres/chart/?id=comedyremake.htm

Sandler plays Paul Crewe, a former NFL quarterback who became the first player in history to be banned from the league for point shaving. After stealing the car of his girlfriend Lena, played by Courteney Cox in an uncredited performance, he wrecks the car, and totals several police vehicles in the process. Crewe is charged with grand theft auto and is later convicted and sentenced to three years in prison at the Allenville Penitentiary in Texas.

Once in prison, Crewe is asked by Warden Hazen to help out the guards' football team. After a bit of physical persuasion, Crewe agrees, with the spectre of an additional five year sentence looming over his head. He tells Hazen that the team needs a tune up game where they can obliterate an opponent to raise the morale of the guards.

Hazen comes up with the idea to have Crewe and an inmate named Caretaker (played by Chris Rock) put together a team of inmates to play the guards. The duo find that their options are limited at first and they have a difficult time putting a team together. They then meet former Heisman Trophy winner and fellow inmate Nate Scarborough (played by Burt Reynolds), who helps them put together a team, starting with some of the most violent prisoners in the facility.

Eventually, Crewe manages to put together a team. Caretaker is killed when a prisoner named Unger sets a bomb up in a radio in Crewe's cell that he accidentally detonates. Crewe's group, called Mean Machine. battle the guards to a halftime tie. Hazen then pulls Crewe aside and tells him that Caretaker's murder will be pinned on him if he doesn't throw the game, much like what he did in the NFL. Crewe agrees if Hazen's team lays off after taking a two touchdown advantage. Hazen agrees to his face, then goes against his word.

The guards take the two score lead, then begin injuring players on the Mean Machine. Crewe, who had faked an injury to take himself out, can only watch in frustration as his teammates are stomped into the ground and the guards score a third time to take a three score lead. Crewe re-enters the game, but must regain the trust of his teammates. He admits to throwing the game, and for what he did in the NFL. The team rallies around him, and with Scarborough scoring a touchdown on a fumblerooski, the Mean Machine rallies for a 36-35 win, much to the chagrin of Hazen.

• Adam Sandler: Paul Crewe
• Burt Reynolds: Coach Nate Scarborough
• Chris Rock: Caretaker
• James Cromwell: Warden Hazen
• Nelly: Megget
• Bill Goldberg: Battle
• Michael Irvin: Deacon Mosshttp://www.imdb.com/title/tt0398165/maindetails