Hornet on Hollywood’Anger Management’ is indeed a good thing

Image: Hornet on HollywoodAnger Management is indeed a good thing:Photo courtesy of Columbia Pictures:

Image: Hornet on Hollywood’Anger Management’ is indeed a good thing:Photo courtesy of Columbia Pictures:

Meryl Sison

“Anger Management,” starring Jack Nicholson (“About Schmidt, “As Good As It Gets” and “Batman”) and Adam Sandler (“Mr. Deeds,” “The Wedding Singer” and “Happy Gilmore”), is the must-see romantic comedy of the season.

The duo has great charisma that enriches a film about doctors, patients and outrageousness with plots and dialogues that are absolutely hysterical.

After a misunderstanding on an airplane gets out of control, the timid Dave (Adam Sandler) finds himself in a courtroom and unsuitably sentenced to 30 days in anger management or a year in state prison. As the title of the film suggests, Dave enrolls into anger management.

The sessions are run by renowned therapist Dr. Buddy Rydell (Jack Nicholson), whose patients range from a man who constantly wants to beat the hell out of someone to a pair of porn star lesbians that effortlessly have a habit of arousing the group.

Rydell moves into Dave’s apartment, invading his life, bed (i.e. full-contact spooning) and even his girlfriend, who is played by Marisa Tomei (“The Guru” and best supporting actress Oscar winner for “My Cousin Vinny”).

Rydell goes by his two therapeutic, self-created philosophies: “Temper is the one thing you can’t get rid of by losing it,” and an Eskimo saying, “Goose fla bah” (the exact meaning is never known).

There are points throughout the film that make it obvious why Dave isn’t making any progress in the anger management program – it’s run by a moron who seems to be in it for personal gain. The audience cannot help but feel remorse for Dave.

After all, he has no guts to speak up for himself, his boss treats him like crap and his girlfriend’s best friend has a penis the size of the “Guinness Book of World Records” largest cucumber.

However, Rydell eventually proves that he can be trusted.

Those who share Dave’s neglect to stick up for him or herself can learn a thing or two from the doc.

When Dave introduces Rydell to his chump boss, Rydell somehow respectfully pulls off a line that anyone would find insult towards: “Might I have your first name Mr. Head? And don’t tell me it’s Dick.”

Just when Nicholson is about to steal the audience’s attention with his sly gracefulness, Sandler pulls a stunt that is impossible to miss – giving an old bully-turned-monk a major wedgie. At first, this seems like a bad idea in the presence of a monastery; but the monk, Arnei, ultimately reestablishes his reputation as the fifth grade bully.

The movie features several celebrity cameos that will make the viewer see them in a new light.

Heather Graham plays a hot vixen and just when you think she couldn’t look any better… she’s unbelievably stuffing brownies in her mouth. Former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani can be found chanting, “You can do it!”

Overall, “Anger Management” is a film worth taking the trip to see, whether it’s with your significant other, family or friends. Watching the film with a full audience is highly recommended … more laughs guaranteed and points that would’ve formerly been missed included.

Nicholson and Sandler are a great combination — one that causes tear-filled laughs and establishes good reason to invest in a water gun.