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| Anger Management |
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  (5/10)
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Runtime: 106 |
| Public Rating: 5.34 (97 votes) |
Director: Peter Segal |
MPAA Rating:  |
| Genre: Comedy |
Year: 2003 |
| Writer(s): David Dorfman |
| Distributor: Columbia Pictures |
| Reviewed by: Le Apprenti |
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There is a certain rhythm to Adam Sandler movies, besides the obvious fact that they all star Adam Sandler. His screen characters are extreme social misfits, which society deems as total losers. They have dorky-sounding names – Barry Egan (Punch Drunk Love), Longfellow Deeds (Mr. Deeds), Sonny Koufax (Big Daddy), Bobby Boucher (The Waterboy). And despite the fact that they are devoid of talent, they are elevated to be something that they are not: champions and heroes, going the impossible distance and overcoming insurmountable odds with their logic-defying actions.
With that in mind, there is no reason to consider Anger Management as anything other than being a recycling of his previous films. This time, anger issue is the subject. When Dave Buznik (Sandler) is convicted in court for air rage, he is sentenced to a 30-day psychiatric therapy. If there is one reason why this Adam Sandler movie is different from (and possibly above) the rest of his, it is the actor who plays the shrink: Jack Nicholson. Dr. Buddy Rydell (Nicholson) has an unconventional unorthodox way of treating patients with anger problems. He uses the magic word “gru-fra-ba” as anger sedative, and in Dave’s case moves into his home as part of the therapy program. While Dr. Rydell is an exponent in anger treatment, he himself harbors enough rage to explode when necessary.
No Adam Sandler movie is complete without the attractive girl so characteristically opposite of Sandler’s character that there is no humanly possible way both can have a serious relationship together in real life. No, it is not the two lesbian patients Stacy and Karen (Krista Allen and January Jones, respectively) in Dr. Rydell’s session. She is in the form of Marisa Tomei and her name is Linda. Never mind what she sees in Dave when she can do better with more confident, better-looking, more sociable and well-endowed studs that she meets regularly; never mind that Dave and Linda are not remotely compatible in any way; nothing in their relationship makes any sense. However, if you have braved his previous movies from beginning to end, there is purpose to this odd matchmaking. That purpose is for Sandler to do his “zero to hero” act for one brief moment – i.e. the film’s running time. Helping to communicate that effectively is a certain movie law of physics called “suspension of disbelief”.
Sandler is, as usual, Sandler. He is most comfortable turning every aspect of social handicap and self-esteem problems into a comedic farce. He also does them in excess, which makes their comedy appreciation a challenge after a while. Equally challenging is maintaining the suspension of disbelief, which turns into an excruciating ordeal when watching his attempts to win back his girlfriend towards the end. Another complaint is the use of “I Feel Pretty” from West Side Story. The problem is that the song is reprised one too many times that it loses its luster when everyone in the movie sang it together at the end.
Sandler’s entire routine would have been one big series of misfires without the help his more talented co-stars: Luis Guzman as the grossly out-of-shape patient Lou, John Turturro as the highly volatile patient Chuck, Heather Graham as the girl Dave approaches at a bar, Woody Harrelson as Galaxia (I’ll leave you to find out who/what Galaxia is), and John C. Reilly as Dave’s former bully turned Buddhist monk. The biggest help, and to whom most of the credit should go to, is undoubtedly Nicholson.
Nicholson is funny without even trying. He can switch instantaneously between serious (throwing breakfast against the wall in fury) and comedic (asking Sandler why he did that) with impeccable timing, and can also do both at the same time (sleeping in the same bed with Sandler) with ease. Either way, he is delightfully hilarious. Along with the scarcely seen but better known cast members and celebrity cameos, Nicholson is the saving grace of this movie.
On the whole, Anger Management is a decent brainless comedy. I would not recommend it because I don’t like Adam Sandler. But I do recommend it because of Jack Nicholson.
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