by Jaclyn Roco
Editor in Chief
There are two types of comedic movies Hollywood creates: one that explodes with laughter and fun from beginning to end, and one where laughter and fun implode until the very end.
Director Peter Segal’s “Anger Management” proves to be the latter. The audience is reeled in with bated breath throughout the first half of the movie and slowly rewarded with sporadic scenes worthy of a snicker or two.
As the movie progresses, the laughter increases until the very end, when viewers are left with an aching side and a wide grin.
The cleverness of “Anger Management’s” plot more than makes up for its slow beginning, thanks to the witty rapport between its two stars.
Fiercely gifted Adam Sandler plays Dave Buznik, a man who forever seems to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.
The antics begin after Buznik goes on a flight and is seated next to one of America’s favorites, Jack Nicholson, who plays the role of Dr. Buddy Rydell.
With devilish eyebrows and hair reminiscent of Einstein, Nicholson plays his devious role to perfection.
He disturbs Buznik’s sleep during the long flight until Buznik finally agrees to remain awake to watch the flight’s featured film with his seatmate.
But alas, to watch a movie while in flight means having to talk to one of those chatty, inefficient stewardesses (ahem, flight attendants) to buy a headset.
Although an easy enough task, poor Buznik is again denied an enjoyable flight when the flight attendant accuses him of assaulting her.
Buznik finds himself in court defending his actions, but because of his “treatment against women,” is placed in anger management to control his “disturbing behavior.”
And who else can fit the image of a proper anger management counselor than the “Buddy” himself?
Buznik, glad to find his assigned counselor ,the very man who sat next to him during his ordeal, pleads with Dr. Rydell to free him from this misunderstanding.
In the first session, the audience is treated to its first gales of laughter, especially after hearing the stories from Buznik’s new classmates: a gay man, a lesbian couple, a sports fanatic and a man guilty of incest.
Buznik is given treatment aimed to cure his anger disease called Toxic Anger Syndrome. Following a scene in a bar, he lands himself back in court, this time for “knocking out” a cocktail waitress after stealing a blind man’s cane.
For his unconceivable actions toward women, the female judge sentences him to jail unless he agrees to 30 days of personal, intensive treatment from Dr. Rydell.
Finding out what this personal treatment is becomes the highlight of the movie. The scenes that follow are marked with bawdy laughter on the part of the audience because one never knows what comes next. It becomes clear toward the end that Dr. Rydell, in reality, is not what he portrays himself to be.
Is Dr. Rydell really Busker’s “buddy,” especially concerning the way he excuses his advancements toward Buznik’s own love interest (Marisa Tomei)? Can Buznik finally find the courage to display his emotions outright and treat all women with respect?
These questions and more are answered by the very traditional ending of the movie.
Although cheesy in its own right, the ending teaches the audience that appearances indeed can be very deceiving (Who ever knew that Sandler and Nicholson could sing “so pretty”).
