Anger Management MPAA Rating: PG-13 Entertainment: +3 Content: -2

In this comedy, nice guy Dave Buznik (Adam Sandler) ends up in a court-ordered anger management program under the care of nutcase Dr. Buddy Rydell (Jack Nicholson). This happens after Dave is falsely accused of assaulting an airline attendant by controversial psychiatrist Dr. Rydell, Daves seat mate. The doctor appears in court to convince the judge that Dave belongs in his anger-management support group. The once passive, go along to get along Dave becomes more aggressive as he must deal with an obnoxious Buddy as his roommate and other group members that include a psychopath (John Turturro), a homosexual and a pair of zany bisexual bimbos. Through it all, Daves girlfriend Linda (Marisa Tomei) hopes Dave will finally commit to marriage. Anger Management may not win critical acclaim, but the nonsensical antics, including a hilarious duet of I Feel Pretty sung by Dave and Buddy, may make this a winner at the box office.

Most of the comedy focuses on crude bathroom humor, bodily functions, sexual insecurities and constant references to male genitals. Daves deeply buried anger originated when the school bully pulled his pants down in front of his classmates. Part of his therapy is to find that bully and confront him. Dave and Buddy find him in a Buddhist monastery, where Daves suppressed anger explodes into a fierce fist fight with his old nemesis. Violence includes a barroom brawl and a blind man beat with his cane. Dave can be admired for not killing his repugnant therapist, who doesn't seem able to control his own anger. Buddy also introduces Dave to a cross-dresser posing as a prostitute (Woody Harrelson), but Dave refuses to continue any sexual activity. And with dialogue tainted with many obscenities and crude slang for body parts, Anger Management is too distasteful for Preview to recommend.

Preview Reviewer: Mary Draughon
Distributor: Columbia Pictures