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Review: Jack's back in 'Anger Management'

Excellent cast, inspired script make for good laughs

By Paul Clinton
CNN Reviewer

Method to their madness: Jack Nicholson and Adam Sandler in
Method to their madness: Jack Nicholson and Adam Sandler in "Anger Management."

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(CNN) -- Ja-a-a-c-c-c-k's back! After his Oscar-nominated turn in "About Schmidt," in which he dumped all his trademark little gimmicks, Jack Nicholson is back in true form, complete with his evil grin and furry eyebrows that jump around like demented caterpillars on speed.

Now co-starring with Adam Sandler in "Anger Management," the three-time Academy Award winner is playing a highly eccentric and volatile shrink, Dr. Buddy Rydell. Sandler is the mild-mannered Dave Buznik, who becomes his unwilling patient. However, in most of the funniest scenes, it's hard to tell who is the patient and who is the doctor.

The comedy begins with a number of conceits that a movie-goer just has to roll with. Despite having a milquetoast demeanor, Dave (Sandler) is arrested for harassing a flight attendant during a flight. He then lands in court, where the judge is played by the late Lynne Thigpen in her final film appearance. Despite the lack of evidence, she sentences Dave to a course in anger management led by her friend, the good doctor.

Buddy's unorthodox approach is extremely confrontational and he knows just how -- and when -- to push every one of Dave's buttons. When Dave lands in the doctor's therapy group, he's given another rude awakening. One member, Chuck (played by John Turturro, who co-starred with Sandler in "Mr. Deeds" in 2002), is made Dave's therapy partner outside of the group. Chuck, of course, has deep, deep anger issues, and he proceeds to make Dave's life a living hell.

The rest of the group's members are equally frightening. Luis Guzman plays a flamboyant Latino homosexual, Jonathan Loughran plays a whacked-out sports addict, and Krista Allen and January Jones play lesbian pornography stars.

Still a Sandler flick

As if he doesn't have enough problems, Dave's girlfriend, Linda (played by Marisa Tomei), thinks they should take a time-out with their relationship. Lurking in the background is Linda's best friend from college, Andrew, who is more than willing to step into the boyfriend role. Andrew is played by Allen Covert, one of the film's producers, who has been involved in every Sandler film except "Billy Madison" (1995).

After an incident in a bar with Chuck, in which Dave accidently knocks out a waitress, he lands back in court where the judge gives him one last chance: intense therapy with Buddy or a year in jail.

Buddy's idea of intense therapy is to move in with Dave. Unfortunately, Dave has only one bed. That doesn't faze Buddy. He just jumps right in with Dave, saying, "In Europe, it's not considered unusual for three or four men to share a bed." To which Dave replies, "That's why I'm proud to be an American." Yes, this is a Sandler comedy.

Buddy's bizarre therapy methods begin to drive Dave nuts. In one scene -- worth the price of admission -- Buddy forces Dave to sing "I Feel Pretty" while stopping traffic on the Queensboro Bridge. It's his version of a "relaxation" exercise. Gradually, Buddy's abrasive approach reveals Dave's hidden anger and he begins to take charge of his life.

Knowing when to end it

Nicholson may be back to his old tricks, but he's a master at keeping the audience guessing. Is Buddy a really good -- albeit strange -- therapist, or is he totally insane? Sandler has wisely surrounded himself with a great cast and he rises to the occasion with one of his best performances to date.

There are also some wonderful and clever cameo appearances. John C. Reilly is delightful as Arnie Shankman, Dave's childhood nemesis who has now become a Buddhist monk. Woody Harrelson is hilarious as a transvestite prostitute who hits on Dave, and Heather Graham plays a woman Buddy badgers Dave into picking up at a bar. John McEnroe, former New York mayor Rudolph Giuliani and Texas Tech basketball coach Bobby Knight appear as themselves.

Screenwriter David Dorfman -- a former script reader for Tom Hanks -- is one of the hottest young writers in Hollywood, with numerous projects simmering at various studios. With "Anger Management," he's created some wonderful moments and some truly inspired situations.

Unfortunately, he didn't know when to end the story. The film is at least 10 minutes too long and the ending goes from improbable to impossible in a heartbeat. Dorfman tries to justify all the conceits from the beginning of the story and it doesn't work. He just should have let it go -- the audience has already accepted the ridiculous setup, and he should never have returned to the scene of his crime.

With the exception of those limp final scenes, director Peter Segal ("Nutty Professor II: The Klumps," 2000) keeps the action moving while letting this excellent cast cast their spells.

"Anger Management" is not going to go down in history as a comedy classic, but it should generate great box office numbers and its broad approach will appeal to Sandler's loyal fan base. In fact, Sandler and director Segal are already working on their next project. The untitled romantic comedy will reunite Sandler with his "Wedding Singer" (1998) co-star Drew Barrymore.

"Anger Management" opens nationwide on April 11 and is rated "PG-13."


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