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The Longest Yard

The Longest Yard

If you can't get out, get even.

2005113 minPG-13Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all films
Director
Peter Segal
Starring
Adam Sandler, Chris Rock, Burt Reynolds, Nelly

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.

Where to watch

Where can I watch The Longest Yard?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists The Longest Yard streaming on Paramount+ via Apple TV and STARZ and to rent or buy on Apple TV.

Subscription

via Apple TV

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about The Longest Yard?

The Longest Yard earns 6 badges, led by Guilty pleasure and Crowd Pleaser.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office

Reception

Is The Longest Yard worth watching?

The Longest Yard's Midcredits score is the 59th percentile of all films, from 467K ratings across 6 sources. 54% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

59th percentile

Better received than 59% of films

68th percentile among Comedy57th percentile among 2000s
Acclaim (how much people like it)59th
Approval (how many liked it)58th

64 /100

59th percentile of all films

68th percentile among Comedy59th percentile among 2000s

Critics 48 · Audience 65

Audiences liked it more than critics did.

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 6.6 — solid but not unanimous.

54% liked it

58th percentile of all films

65th percentile among Comedy55th percentile among 2000s
54% rated it 7–1046% rated it 1–6

Critics 31% · Audience 62%

On Rotten Tomatoes, a bigger share of audiences approved than critics.

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 3 wins / 17 noms overall

98th percentile

467K ratings across platforms

98th percentile among Comedy96th percentile among 2000s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 47% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$82M
Opening weekend$48M
Domestic gross$158M
Worldwide gross$191M

Returned 2.3× its budget — 98th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

Both camps agree this is a formulaic, joke-heavy remake that is best enjoyed as a lightweight Sandler comedy rather than a serious sports drama.

Fans praised

  • funny as a modern Sandler comedy with Chris Rock in top form
  • football scenes and action beat the original given bigger budget
  • supporting cast of actual players adds authenticity and humor

Detractors panned

  • a weak remake that cheapens a classic with dumbed-down dialogue
  • predictable formula and forced racial jokes that feel lazy
  • less believable casting and key scenes missing from the original

What stands out

HumorDivisive68

lots of slapstick and one-liners that land for fans; detractors find jokes stale and offensive

ActingDivisive68

Sandler and Rock deliver solid comedic performances; supporting cast praised for looking like real players

Effects and spectacleDivisive68

bigger budget shows in more polished and hard-hitting football action

Characters60

Crewe's arc feels familiar; warden gets a motivation but some find characters underdeveloped

Pacing60

some sluggish stretches but football scenes keep momentum

Plot and storyDivisive58

familiar pro-athlete-in-prison setup; predictable but functional for a comedy

DialogueDivisive55

witty one-liners and smart-ass comments, but detractors call it cheap and dumbed-down

Originality30

remake of a classic with formulaic sports-comedy beats; many note it adds little new

Preferred by

US vs non-US

Preferred by Non-US Viewers

Non-US viewers scored it 12 points higher than US viewers.

No notable difference between the other groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Women vs men 6 points apart
  • Under-30s vs over-30s 3 points apart
  • Critics vs users 9 points apart

Watch experience

What is The Longest Yard like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Fun ride: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you want a fun ride.

It is funny and leaves you fired up. Skip it when you want something with weight.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Very little.

What it feels like

Fun ride.

The answer rests on this: Moods
TriumphantAbsurdTense
Heaviest: late
Wry humor: Amused and slightly dry about it.
Register
PlayfulWarm
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
TonePlays its absurd prison premise with broad comedy and genuine underdog spirit.
The rideThe film maintains a comedic, irreverent tone throughout, with the mood turning more serious and tense during the final game and after Caretaker's death.
StructureLinear, conventional structure: prison assignment, team assembly and training, then the climactic football game.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Fired up.

The answer rests on this: Rousing · 10% of filmsFeel-good
Why it leaves you this wayLeaves you cheering for the underdog and feeling good about the inmates' victory.
How it ends · evidence
Happy ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).MonsterTyrant
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21% (this title): Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% (this title) · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Overcoming the monster: A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated. · Tyrant: A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).

21% of films fit this archetype

with Rebirth underneath

Why this archetypeThe story follows a disgraced quarterback forced to form an inmate team to play the corrupt prison guards, driven by an underdog rivalry with the oppressive warden and his guards.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelf
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% (this title) · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16% (this title): Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% (this title) · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% (this title) · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Morality

Redemption · 6% of filmsCommunity · 14% of films: Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Friendship · 9% of films
Celebrates its theme: Affirms its theme — this is good and worth having.Community stakes: Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Single lead
How it treats its themeThe story centers on Paul Crewe earning back his self-respect and the trust of others through leading the inmate team.
StanceRedemption is celebrated as the protagonist finds purpose and a new family, albeit through a coarse, comedic lens.

The world

ContemporaryInstitutionalRuralRealistic
RockPopSupportive music · hybrid
SettingAllenville Penitentiary, Texas
MusicThe soundtrack likely features upbeat rock and hip-hop tracks to match the sports-comedy energy.

Content guide

Is The Longest Yard okay for kids?

PG-13

The Longest Yard is rated PG-13: “Rated PG-13 for crude and sexual humor, violence, language and drug references” (MPAA). As of October 3, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at moderate (58/100), sexual content at moderate (48/100), language at intense (77/100), drug and alcohol content at mild (29/100) and frightening material at mild (25/100). Overall it is heavier than 88% of PG-13-rated films.

Ratings in 24 other countries
  • UK15
  • AustraliaM
  • Germany12
  • FranceTP
  • Ireland15
  • JapanG
  • South Korea15
  • Brazil14
  • Argentina+13
  • Czechia15+
  • Denmark7
  • FinlandK-16
  • Hong KongIIA
  • Hungary12
  • ItalyT
  • MexicoB
  • Netherlands12
  • Norway15
  • PhilippinesR-13
  • Poland16
  • PortugalM/12
  • SingaporePG
  • Spain12
  • Sweden11
Overall
Moderate · all five categories
Heavier than 56% of all filmsHeavier than 88% of PG-13-rated films
Violence & Gore
Moderate
typical for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 66%
Sex & Nudity
Moderate · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
heavy for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 88%
Profanity
Intense
heavy for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 99%
Alcohol & Drugs
Mild
typical for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 39%
Frightening / Intense
Mild
light for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 22%

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

The reason to think twice is language.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does The Longest Yard have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in The Longest Yard?

Cast

2 of the cast already had the standing of a top-10% working actor.

Adam Sandler
as Paul Crewe
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Chris Rock
as Caretaker
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Burt Reynolds
as Coach Nate Scarborough
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Nelly
as Megget
First film: No prior film role; they had worked in television.
Michael Irvin
as Deacon Moss
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
Bill Goldberg
as Battle
Terry Crews
as Cheeseburger Eddy
Bob Sapp
as Switowski
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Nicholas Turturro
as Brucie
Dalip Singh
as Turley
First film: No prior film role; they had worked in television.

Crew

Directed by

Peter Segal

Written by

Sheldon Turner

Cinematography

Dean Semler

Edited by

Jeff Gourson

Music by

Teddy Castellucci

Produced by

Jack Giarraputo

More like this

What are movies like The Longest Yard?

Movies like The Longest Yard include The Longest Yard (1974), Necessary Roughness (1991) and Mean Machine (2001). Of the 12 closest matches, all are sports underdog stories, and several are films set in prison.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

7 of these 12 share its subject: redemption. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with The Longest Yard?

1.3K other films share the rarest tag below, kind of film: sports underdog. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.