*** Official "ANGER MANAGMENT" Discussion Thread (1 Viewer)

[Qui-Gon John]

What's going on with this movie, (unless IMDB is way behind)? I just checked at IMDB, (because I was getting it confused with Nicholson's About Schmidt), and they show it is still in post-production and the last update of the status is last July.

 

[Robert Crawford]

This film has a 4/11/03 release date with the trailer playing on television regularly now.

 

[Qui-Gon John]

Thanks, don't watch a lot of TV and what I do I tape and usually skip commercials.

 

[Joel Mack]

Interesting...

I saw a couple of commercials tonight, and noticed they've digitally added in a NY Yankees logo to Adam Sandler's t-shirt in the scene where Nicholson is moving in.

I went back to the original theatrical trailer, and sure enough, no logo on the t-shirt.

Odd. Do the Yanks really need more pub?

 

[Mark Pfeiffer]

It's coming out Friday. I saw it last Thursday. It's mediocre, which, in my opinion, is better than a lot of Sandler's films but not good enough that I'd recommend it. I realize that is likely to be an unpopular opinion here.

 

[Joshua_Y]

Yeah...3 more days...I cant wait to see it...I'm a fan of both men in the film...

 

[Bjorn Olav Nyberg]

I'm certainly looking forward to it. While I have yet to own any Sandler DVD's, I rent most of them.

 

[Nick C.]

I saw it last Thursday. It's mediocre, which, in my opinion, is better than a lot of Sandler's films but not good enough that I'd recommend it

should we take this to mean Sandler's back to playing...well...Sandler, again? as opposed to the oddly lovable character many HTFers enjoyed in Punch-Drunk Love

 

[Mark Pfeiffer]

should we take this to mean Sandler's back to playing...well...Sandler, again?

Yes, although I didn't think he was nearly as obnoxious in this as he has been in some of his other hits. It also helps that he has a better cast around him than he usually has, and the film doesn't feel quite as slapped together and slipshod as his others. But there's no doubt this is more than Sandler that audiences have paid to see.

 

[Scott Weinberg]

For several of you, whenever I mention that I really disliked a movie that means you'll love it. So get happy.

'Cuz I really disliked Anger Management.

 

[Seth Paxton]

So Mark and Scott, are there any Sandler comedies you do enjoy? Just so I can put this in perspective.

I've been hoping that the dynamics with Nicholson will get him back on track after horrible misfires with Mr. Deeds and Little Nicky (though Nicky had some potential from the supporting cast at least).

I love Happy Gilmore, Wedding Singer and Big Daddy and would be happy to hear that Anger Mgmt. could hit a beat similar to those films.

 

[Qui-Gon John]

So where does this fall in relation to what I think of the different Sandler movies. I liked Wedding Singer, Big Daddy, Mr. Deeds and Little Nicky. Happy Gilmore, from what I remember, was so-so. I did NOT like Billy Madison and The Waterboy.

 

[Mark Pfeiffer]

Seth, Punch-Drunk Love aside (which isn't a Sandler film, per se), I haven't recommended any of his "comedies". Most are painful for me to watch. The Wedding Singer was as close as I've come to liking one of his movies, but I wouldn't recommend that one. I didn't remember hating The Waterboy, which is how I felt about Mr. Deeds, Little Nicky, Big Daddy, and Billy Madison. (I haven't seen Happy Gilmore, for reasons which should be perfectly clear by now. )

I thought Anger Management wasn't nearly as sloppy as some of those others (particularly his most recent). The caliber of his costars probably helps in that regard. I just didn't think it was all very funny and never seems to be going anywhere. But as I said before, I'm well aware that I'll be in the minority on this one. (And even if people in general don't like it, it will still do huge business this weekend, at least $30 million more than whatever is in second place. Columbia is putting this on an insane number of screens.)

 

[Scott Weinberg]

Fair question.

The truth is this: I LIKE Adam Sandler. A lot of his schtick on SNL had me rolling (Opera Man, the songs he'd do during Weekend Update, individual skits of him bellowing and being enjoyably silly) and I still think that Billy Madison and Happy Gilmore are drop dead hilarious. The Wedding Singer is another one I really enjoy, from Adam's relatively low-key performance to the old-school pop tunes. I think Sandler has the ONE "holy shit was that funny!" moment in Airheads and I even liked portions of that generally awful Bulletproof flick.

The Waterboy did have some solid laughs, but it seems that this flick is the one that marked Sandler's decline (in my eyes). After this one, all of his movies were nothing more than 'the same old thing' over and over: simplistic concept, allegedly likable man-child, poop and fart and tit jokes, cameos from the same old Sandler cronies, 'shock' cameos from various movie stars, bland leading lady recently settling into B-list comfort, and screenplays laden with just the most simplistic and obvious and predictable gags since the days of Henny Youngman.

Big Daddy, Little Nicky, Mr. Deeds and Eight Crazy Nights yielded precisely two mild laughs from me. And that's the truth. And I go into these movies with the proper frame of mind (and quite often half a joint) so there's no reason to think I'm predisposed towards disliking them. I remember seeing Deeds at a screening and just GROANING at the lameness of it all. This from a guy who considers "Shampoo esh BETTA! I go on first..." one of the funniest things he's ever heard.

Ignore the fact that Sandler's movies generally have the directorial style of those old MST shorts and that he churns out 3 flicks every two years. I guess it's just that lots of people still find his Same Old Thing very amusing. I'm not knocking those people at all; in fact I'm a bit jealous. I've spoken with two other critic pals of mine and they're both recommending the film, one rather enthusiastically. Since I DO still consider myself a Sandler fan, I'm wondering if maybe it's just me.

But I still really really disliked Anger Management. A whole lot.

 

[Patrick Sun]

Given that I enjoy sophomoric humor, I'll be sure to share my thoughts on this film after I see it this weekend.

I didn't enjoy Little Nicky, didn't see the animated film, but the rest of Sandler's output has been at last mildly amusing to hilariously funny to me. But, humor is very subjective.

 

[Mikel_Cooperman]

I dont mind mindless humor occasionally. I loved Romy and Michelle and Dude wheres my car, but there's something about And Sandler and the same ol' lisping dumb character he plays in almost every movie that just repulses me.
There arent many stars or actors that I will avoice a movie if they are in but he is definitely one of them
My question is, why did Nicholson do this?

This will make millions undoutedly but I am going to stay away from this one and that new Rapper comedy with Jamie Kennedy.

 

[Seth Paxton]

Well, my biggest worry is that this will be another Mr Deeds. Sophomoric humor comes in two forms - good and bad. I don't find the genre inherently bad, though it's probably a lot trickier and personality dependent for success.

Deeds was a miserable failure in timing and setup over and over. Same old thing can be very funny, which is what helped make the Three Stooges or Marx Bros great (granted, the Marx Bros had A LOT more intelligent comedy in their films too). But if you screw up the actual gags it becomes a disaster.

I avoided Deeds due to the reviews. Upon rental I was almost sorry I spent the $3. Not because it was a remake because he was clearly doing his own thing with it. Not because of the type of jokes. It was the fact that their were awkward cuts on the punchlines or unclear setups.

I'm hoping that this is not what plagues Anger Management. If it is really as bad as you two say then I think it's a damn shame. I think the premise seen in the trailers is a good one for comedy, one which SHOULD allow those 2 dynamic personalities to riff off of one another.

So far it doesn't sound like the film actually achieves this.

 

[Mikel_Cooperman]

The reviews I've read have said that the movie is a Hollywood concept movie made strictly for money and nothing else and that all the good funny parts(I guess there arent many) are in the trailer.

 

[Matt Stone]

Just got back from it, and man...it sucked. This is coming from a huge fan of Billy Madison and Happy Gilmore. There were a couple of funny bits, but on the whole...a waste of time.

 

[Robert Crawford]

This thread is now designated the Official Discussion Thread for "Anger Management" please, post all comments, links to outside reviews, film and box office discussion items to this thread.

All HTF member film reviews of "Anger Management" should be posted to the Official Review Thread.

Thank you for your consideration in this matter.


Crawdaddy