Anger Management Review
by David N. Butterworth (dnb AT dca DOT net)April 24th, 2003
ANGER MANAGEMENT
A film review by David N. Butterworth
Copyright 2002 David N. Butterworth
** (out of ****)
Jack Nicholson and Adam Sandler face off in "Anger Management." Just look
at them snarling and scowling, forehead-to-forehead, in the poster for the film:
looks like a match made in comedic heaven, right? Nicholson, with his devilish
grin, gravity-defying eyebrows, and incendiary temperament going (literally) head-to-head against Sandler, with his sad eyes, puppy dog expression, and equally
explosive personality. Sounds like a pretty funny movie, right?
Wrong.
Nicholson delivers like the pro he is but he's all caricature nowadays (remember him in "Five Easy Pieces"? Boy do I miss those pre-twilight years). On the other hand I'm liking Sandler more and more, but I've always preferred his softer side to his angrier side and, of course, he's pretty darned angry in this film. He has every reason to be.
The problems start for Sandler's Dave Buznik, a mild-mannered fashion designer
(he makes clothes... for cats!), on a business flight. Seated next to Nicholson's
Dr. Buddy Rydell, Dave settles for a if-you-can’t-beat-'em-join-'em approach by requesting a headset when Rydell's enjoyment of the in-flight movie prevents
Dave from catching a few Zs. That simple request results in a major misunderstanding,
an "our country’s going through a difficult time right now" defense, a scuffle,
a stun gun, and Dave later being sentenced to 20 hours of anger management therapy
by an unsympathetic judge (Lynne Thigpen).
And, as coincidence would have it, Buddy turns out to be his anger management
therapist! Buddy then proceeds to "observe" Dave up close and personal for an additional 30 days (after Dave ends up back in court following the accidental
clocking of a waitress while fighting a blind guy) in that "Planes, Trains & Automobiles" vein (a far funnier movie, by the way).
In a number of ways "Anger Management" is a lot like the recent "Bringing Down the House." It throws a couple of likable stars into a screenplay that hasn't been well thought out resulting in crude, crass, and stereotypically offensive "humor." A perceptive teenager sarcastically summed that film up in 25-words-or-less (Steve Martin: wacky white guy. Queen Latifah: sassy black
gal. Stick 'em together and hold onto your hats). "Anger Management" could be summarized just as economically (Jack Nicholson: aggressive time bomb. Adam
Sandler: passive-aggressive time bomb. Stick 'em together and hold onto your hats).
I never set hands on my headgear once during the film's interminable two hour duration yet it remained well and truly on. Go figure.
Again like "Bringing Down the House" there are a few chuckles--but not many--to be had, mainly provided by John Turturro, as a psychotic group therapy
member who's assigned to be Dave's "anger buddy." Anger buddy? Dave's girlfriend
Linda, whom Dave is afraid to kiss in public but to whom he's nevertheless planning
to propose, has never heard of such a thing. She's played by the ever dependable
Marisa Tomei... and wasted in yet another movie! Dumb "cameos," among them Woody Harrelson, Heather Graham, Harry Dean Stanton, and Rudi Giuliani playing himself, abound. Stupidity ensues.
Do yourself a favor and rent "The Wedding Singer" or, better yet, "Punch Drunk Love" (or, what the heck, "Five Easy Pieces") but shrink away from "Anger
Management." It's junk.
--
David N. Butterworth
[email protected]
Got beef? Visit "La Movie Boeuf"
online at http://members.dca.net/dnb
Originally posted in the rec.arts.movies.reviews newsgroup. Copyright belongs to original author unless otherwise stated. We take no responsibilities nor do we endorse the contents of this review.
