"Anger Management"
Review: "Anger Management"
Posted on June 24, 2003 by The Crystal Lich
Usually when two mismatched individuals are put together for a buddy movie,
they either have to do their own thing or do the same thing; the trick is
in the chemistry. Amazingly, both Adam Sandler and Jack Nicholson manage
to do their own thing onscreen at the same time and it's STILL funny.
Dave Buznik (Adam Sandler) is a mild-mannered, non-confrontational person
(yes, that's pretty funny all by itself). His girlfriend, Linda (Marisa Tomei),
has been waiting patiently for months for Dave to work up the courage to
propose to her, but Dave can't even ask his boss for a raise after years
getting the same wage. Everything comes to head during a fateful plane ride,
and Dave finds himself sentenced to a prison term or facing endless weeks
in, of all things, an anger management class. Too bad for him that the guy
in charge is played by Jack Nicholson...
There's a lot that can go wrong in a buddy film like this. If the chemistry
isn't there, every moment they're together onscreen is like nails on a chalkboard.
If the comedy doesn't mix, it's like watching two movies gene-spliced at
the script level being turned inside out. And if the script isn't there,
no one wants to watch two good actors trying to save a horrible premise.
Fortunately, this film works. First off, it's an Adam Sandler film, not a
Jack Nicholson film, so if you've never enjoyed one of Sandler's movies,
you won't like this one, either, but if "Mr. Deeds" and "The Waterboy" makes
you forgive "Little Nicky," you're in for a treat. Always- professional Nicholson
manages to catalyze Sandler's comedic bits scene after scene, slowly turning
the screws until Sandler predictably snaps before stepping way over the line.
It looks as though both players had a great time making the film and that
energy shows through.
Whether taking revenge on childhood playmates or just getting out of a parking
lot, a lot of money was spent making little gags larger than life (when you
see how it ends, you'll understand that a little better). Rage is funny,
so until Lewis Black and Dennis Leary team up for a buddy film, this is as
funny as rage can get and still keep a PG-13 rating.
(a two and a half skull recommendation out of four)
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