Today’s quick review: Anger Management. After an altercation with a flight attendant, Dave (Adam Sandler), a long-suffering executive assistant, gets assigned to anger management class with Dr. Buddy Rydell (Jack Nicholson), a therapist known for his unconventional treatments. Buddy begins to invade Dave’s live, doling out dubious advice, interfering with Dave’s relationships, and pushing Dave to the brink of a nervous breakdown.
Anger Management is a comedy about an unassertive man who is forced to get intensive treatment for his supposed anger issues. Stuck with Dr. Rydell day in and day out, Dave finds himself in a nightmare scenario where everything he does lands him deeper in trouble. Anger Management is one part ridiculous comedy, one part social trap, and one part rumination on anger. However, the movie’s unusual story structure makes it hard to get into.
Anger Management has a knack for setting up frustrating situations. Dave’s words are turned against him, innocent gestures are misinterpreted, and his attempts to cope are met with unfair treatment that pushes him further into a corner. All of this makes it cathartic when Dave starts to push back. Moreover, the surreal nature of Dave’s predicament lets Buddy engage in the out-of-bounds behavior that fuels most of the film’s humor.
The downside to Anger Management is that it is hard to tell exactly where the movie is going. Buddy shifts between ally and antagonist several times depending on whether he is sabotaging Dave or helping him grow. More broadly, Dave’s role in the story is unclear. He could be an ordinary man who is pushed too far, a quietly angry man getting the treatment he needs, or a vehicle for anger jokes; the movie leaves it ambiguous for a long time.
Anger Management makes for an odd but fairly entertaining pick. The heart of the movie seeing Adam Sandler and Jack Nicholson snipe at each other in boundary-pushing social situations, with the added bonus of seeing Dave grow a spine. But in spite of a solid comedic core, Anger Management’s story is hard to get a bead on. Give it a shot if you are looking for some cathartic humor, but steer clear if you are looking for a tight, coherent story.
For a more developed treatise on pent-up anger, try Fight Club. For a black comedy about a man pushed too far by his unfair, overbearing boss, try Swimming with Sharks. For an even darker war comedy about a man trapped by illogic, try Catch-22.
[6.2 out of 10 on IMDB](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0305224/). I give it a 6.0 to 6.5 for enjoyable humor held back by an unclear story.