I can't say I don't have time but I am sooooo disorganised!
I can't say I don't have time but I am sooooo disorganised!
Member since:08.12.2005
Reviews:99
Members who trust:51
I've rented this film in the past & as it just came on t.v. now I thought I would review it whilst watching it!
Story
Adam Sandler plays Dave Buznik, a happy-enough young man leading quite a normal life & trying to get on peacefully, when he encounters a number of dreadfully rude difficult passengers & flight attendants on an aeroplane that somehow, in spite of his calm, polite approach, land him in court, charged with air rage. Even though his lawyer thinks the case cannot stand, he is, ridiculously, convicted. His sentence is to attend anger management classes - taught by the very passenger sat next to him on the plane (Jack Nicholson). Convinced that he does not have a problem, he confidently declares that he will only be attending one session. Unfortunately for him, it looks like he will be stuck longer than he expects & maybe even longer than the term of anger management sentenced.
This film actually seems to spark a little stress in me, just watching it. At times, as the viewer, where you really are seeing things from Dave's perspective, it seems so obvious that he is in the right. It is like the whole world is treating him unjustly & no matter how hard he tries, things just won't go right. Through all of it he continues to try to stay calm. Unfortunately, this turns out to be the one thing that his new doctor/teacher, Dr. Buddy Rydell, does not want to see. Furthermore, an incident in a pub, where he genuinely acts to stop a fight gets him into more trouble in court & yet more intensive treatment. Life just does not seem to
be on his side!
Is something bothering you that you don't want to talk about?
If it is, I would strongly recommend this film to give you a good hard…. Kick up the bum. Surely after watching this you will be sick of the way we all too often fail to make a point of our rights. The truth is we are not all likely to harbour anger for years then suddenly explode & injure someone. Of course life is not so dramatic. There are probably hundreds of 'Dave's all over the world in the same situations, who will never 'get help' for such a condition because it is not really a condition but normal behaviour to us.
This film awakens you to the fact, however, that just because you are not a crazy-psycho, you may need to learn to alter your behaviour, rather than merely blaming the rest of the world for your downfalls & relying on things to just get better for you. Sometimes you need to make a stand yourself in order to get what you want or avoid getting what you don't want e.g. a headache. Just remember, you want to be assertive, not aggressive! Really, you should see the bully/buddhist featured in one scene in this film. Aggression is a bad thing!
The Acting
Well, this is another film that relies almost entirely on the skill of its actors/actresses for its impact. It is not just Sandler & Nicholson that must be in top form, but every person involved in Dave's journey of anger management. For me, Sandler tends to play similar characters in most of his films, usually quite innocent yet in for trouble. So this film naturally suited him well. Nicholson slips into the role of anger management tutor easily. He is unpredictable, much smarter than your average yet quite a troublemaker himself. He is frustrating, scheming & downright annoying. A great actor. The first time I watched this film, I really felt like anything could happen.
You can't trust anyone in this film, not even the extras! It seems that every person Dave comes across does something stupid, cannot see what they have done wrong, & looks perfectly innocent to all the other bystanders who also fail to see that person's obvious error. At some point in this film, in fact near enough to the beginning, you start to wonder if everyone else isn't crazy. It is like the whole less Dave needs anger management. Then again, when everyone else seems to conform to the craziness, so you can't help but wonder if it therefore really is crazy. I mean, to most of us, crazy refers to people behaving in an abnormal or non-conformist manner. This is interesting because you have to learn to see that conforming is perhaps not always the best thing. Sometimes we, as individuals, need to be assertive & stand up for what is really right, rather than just accept things as others do. It is the crazy acting in this film that really reflects this need.
Soundtrack
There is barely anything to the soundtrack. I mention below (in 'Overall'), a part where Sandler & Nicholson sing a song. This tune is then repeated as a theme tune in the film. I must admit, this bubbly, childish tune picks up the film a little, but as I say it is still not that noticeable. The odd bit of music here & there but nothing particularly memorable. Forgive this: it doesn't really matter. This film does not need the musical backing to spark emotion in anyone. The acting for me was terrific & would warrant a music-free film. Of course the extra music would liven things up & make the film more fun, but that is about all that it could do for a film like this. I doubt you would notice the music much.
Graphics
I'm not sure what to put under this heading sometimes. This is a film about the interaction between people, so no amazing landscapes, gore or major action scenes. It is, therefore an ordinary film in terms of graphics & special effects. This film was made in 2003, so expect general good quality throughout, very bright & colourful clothes/décor, Jack Nicholson with crazy hair & sunny days.
Overall
As long as you are not too concerned about the ageing effects of stress I think you will enjoy this film. Of course you are not meant to take it seriously - it is definitely a comedy, just not the kind I would laugh at all the way through, yet for some reason I still would regard it as a comedy. I suppose because a part of me thinks, if I can't laugh at this, it is probably me that has the problem, not the film. Perhaps I too need anger management, so as not to be so obsessed with the common injustices of the world. The humour does develop. In particular, there is a scene where Dave sits with his doctor in the car singing some silly song (not really sure what its called but it goes "I feel pretty, oh so pretty" …blah blah), which really made me giggle. Rather than outright funny, I would say this film is amusing. It is certainly worth a watching & as I am now watching it for the second time quite happily (actually I don't remember much more than the basics from the first time I saw it) I would say confidently you can watch it two or three times without getting sick of it. Whether it is therefore better to rent or buy is up to you & whether you like to watch the same film a few times over.
(Also on DooYoo)
How helpful would this review be to a person making a buying decision? Rating guidelines
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![Anger Management [DVD] [2003]](http://picnicb.ciao.com/uk/78500591.jpg "Anger Management [DVD] [2003]")
Aug 27th, 2007
(Aug 28th, 2007)
very helpful by (100%):
