Anger Management (film)

In 1978 Brooklyn, as a young 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 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' nose while defending himself.

Buddy elects to live with Dave and accompany him at work as part of his "radical round-the-clock therapy". This entails unorthodox techniques which cause Dave to be passive aggressive. At Dave's workplace, Buddy is shocked to learn of the well endowed Andrew's friendship with Linda. However, Buddy sees a photo of Linda and becomes instantly smitten by her, annoying Dave. To enhance Dave's assertiveness, Buddy arranges for him to get revenge on Arnie Shankman, who has become a Buddhist monk. Arnie apologizes to Dave, but he 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. They celebrate at a bar where Buddy convinces a reluctant Dave to flirt with a woman named Kendra. He is successful but Buddy abandons him. At Kendra's house, Dave offends her and an angry Dave has to return home on his own.

Linda tells Dave she has agreed to follow Buddy's advice that they have a trial separation; Buddy explains to an angry Dave this is to give him time to improve his behavior. Dave attacks Buddy when he learns he and Linda have begun dating. Dave returns to court where Buddy is issued a restraining order against him. 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. Security captures 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. Dave kisses her in front of the crowd before she accepts his proposal. Linda reveals to him that the game was the final phase of his therapy and explains that the aggravation he was put through was all Buddy's doing. She reveals that most of the people involved were mostly in on Buddy's plans.

Linda throws Dave a party to celebrate his graduation. He plays a prank on Buddy, and once the situation is cleared up, everyone starts singing "I Feel Pretty".

• Adam Sandler as David "Dave" Buznik
  • Jonathan Osser as Young Dave Buznik
• Jack Nicholson as Dr. Buddy Rydell
• Marisa Tomei as Linda
• Luis Guzmán as Lou
• Jonathan Loughran as Nate
• Kurt Fuller as Frank Head
• Krista Allen as Stacy
• January Jones as Gina
• Clint Black as Masseur
• John Turturro as Chuck
• Lynne Thigpen as Judge Brenda Daniels
  • This film turned out to be Thigpen's final film. She died a month before the film's release; the film is dedicated in her memory.
• Woody Harrelson as Galaxia the tranvestite prostitute/Gary the Security Guard
• Kevin Nealon as Sam, Dave's Lawyer
• Allen Covert as Andrew
• Nancy Carell as Patty the Flight Attendant
• John C. Reilly (uncredited) as Older Monk Arnie Shankman
  • Alan James Morgan as Young Arnie Shankman
• Heather Graham (uncredited) as Kendra
• Harry Dean Stanton (uncredited) as Blind Man
• Isaac C. Singleton Jr. as Air Marshal
• Stephen Dunham as Maitre d'
• Cody Arens as Boy at Yankee Stadium

Several others appeared as themselves, such as:

• John McEnroe
• Derek Jeter
• Robert Merrill
• Bob Sheppard
• Judith Nathan
• Bob Knight
• Roger Clemens
• Rudy Giuliani

A television series based on the film premiered on June 28, 2012,[6] starring Charlie Sheen in the role originated by Jack Nicholson; the series was Sheen's first acting role since his firing from the hit CBS sitcom Two and a Half Men on March 7, 2011, after eight seasons.[7] The show was produced by the film's producer Joe Roth, and was broadcast on FX in the United States, CTV in Canada and on TBS in Latin America for two seasons, totalling 100 episodes before it was cancelled.[8]

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