Anger Management (film)

Anger Management (film)

Anger Management is a 2003 American buddy comedy film directed by Peter Segal and written by David S. Dorfman. Starring Adam Sandler and Jack Nicholson with Marisa Tomei, Luis Guzmán, Woody Harrelson and John Turturro in supporting roles, the film tells the story of a businessman who is sentenced to an anger management program under a renowned therapist with unconventional methods.

Plot

In 1978, in Brooklyn, as a young boy, Dave Buznik is about to experience his first kiss. He is humiliated by local bully Arnie Shankman, who suddenly pulls down his pants and underwear.

Twenty-five years later, Dave works as a secretary for a disrespectful boss named Frank. Dave's bullying trauma causes him to avoid displaying affection such as kissing his girlfriend Linda in public. His problems are exacerbated by his narcissistic co-worker, Andrew, who is close friends with Linda and desires to rekindle their romantic relationship.

During a flight, Dave loses his temper, albeit mildly, after being treated disrespectfully by the flight attendant, prompting the sky marshal to taser him. He is arrested for "assaulting" a flight attendant and is sentenced to anger management under Dr. Buddy Rydell, a renowned therapist who sat next to him on the plane. Dave's sentence is extended to 30 days after he accidentally breaks a waitress's nose while defending himself from a blind man's cane.

Buddy imposes "radical round-the-clock therapy," living with Dave and accompanying him at work. This entails unorthodox techniques which cause him to be passive-aggressive. At work, Buddy is shocked to learn of the well-endowed Andrew's friendship with Linda. However, seeing a photo of Linda, Buddy becomes instantly smitten with her, annoying Dave.

Dave is forced to interact with a cross-dressing prostitute who goes by the name Galaxia. When he refuses to have sex with Galaxia, Buddy informs Dave that he has learned what righteous anger is.

At a bar, Buddy tries to get Dave to be more confident by using an obnoxious pick-up line on a woman named Kendra. When it works, Buddy leaves. Dave goes back to Kendra’s house so he can use the phone to get in touch with Buddy. Kendra attempts to seduce Dave, who declines because of Linda and is thrown out. Buddy says that Kendra is an actress and that it was all a prank, but he did tell Linda that Dave was with another woman.

To enhance Dave's assertiveness, Buddy arranges for him to get revenge on Arnie Shankman, who has become a Buddhist monk. Arnie apologizes but then laughs when reminded of the kiss incident. Buddy and an initially hesitant Dave provoke Arnie by lying about Dave molesting Arnie's mentally ill sister. A fight ensues, and after defeating Arnie the duo flee and Dave is delighted to have had his revenge.

Linda tells Dave she has agreed to follow Buddy's advice that they have a trial separation; Buddy explains to Dave that this is to give him time to improve his behavior. Dave attacks him when he learns he is dating Linda. Dave returns to court where Buddy issues a restraining order against him for attempting to choke him while wearing a neck brace (which later turned out to be fake). Dave snaps at work when he learns Frank promoted Andrew to the position he had expected. He punches Andrew in the face and wrecks Frank's office with a golf club.

Learning from Andrew that Buddy has taken Linda to a New York Yankees game, Dave assumes Buddy intends to steal his marriage proposal idea and races to the stadium. A security agent named Gary is revealed to be Galaxia, who lets Dave onto the field. Security ends up capturing him, but New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani orders them to allow Dave to speak. Linda is moved when Dave announces publicly that he is willing to change. At her request, he kisses her in front of the crowd and she accepts his proposal. Linda then reveals that the game was the final phase of his therapy and explains that the aggravation he endured was all part of a setup planned by herself and Buddy after she read his anger management book. She adds that most of the people involved were in on Buddy's plans to help Dave stand up for himself.