Anger Management

Anger Management Ruffles Feathers, Misses Funny Bone

Among the phrases I never thought I’d have to write as movie reviewer, “Jack Nicholson fails to carry his weight in the new Adam Sandler comedy,” is surely one at the top of the list.

But there it is. In the new “comedy” Anger Management, the laughs are few and far between and the sight of multi-Academy Award winner Nicholson doing his wild-eyed, crazy-haired best to scare the bejabbers out of Sandler makes one yearn for the second coming of Chris Farley. This is Jack at his over-the-top worst since The Witches of Eastwick.

Sandler plays hapless nice guy Dave Buznik, a put-upon schmoe who hopes to move up the food chain in a pet accessory company in New York City. His girlfriend Linda (Marisa Tomei) wants him to be more assertive in his job and in public displays of affection. When his job sends him on a business trip, Dave is mistakenly accused of assaulting a flight attendant and is sentenced to 20 hours in the hands of the famous Dr. Buddy Rydell (Nicholson), a noted anger management specialist. Rydell moves in with Dave and from there, all wackiness ensues—some of it apparently stolen from old Three Stooges bits.

Anger Management is only mildly humorous and suffers from one of the most contrived endings in movie history. Sandler keeps the storyline credible as long as he can but eventually the farcical aspects of the movie turn it into one long Benny Hill skit.

Among the few saving graces of Anger Management are some memorable cameos. John Turturro plays the ex-con Chuck who alternately embraces his rage gleefully and then rues the results. The omnipresent John C. Reilly plays Dave’s childhood tormentor all grown up and living in some unknown Buddhist monastery minutes from Manhattan. Other cameos by Bobby Knight, John McEnroe, Rudy Gulianni and the New York Yankees do not work nearly as well.

Anger Management not only fails to take advantage of the comedic skills of Tomei, Sandler and Nicholson, but also misses a golden opportunity to say something funny or insightful about the notion of rage itself. Hopefully, Ang Lee’s new film version of The Hulk will explore anger a little more entertainingly. For an intriguing comic book-style look at rage, try renting Darkman starring Liam Neeson and Frances McDormand.

Anger Management is rated PG-13 and is currently playing at Regal Cinemas in Boone.