Common Sense Media Review
Very raunchy Sandler comedy is filled with sex and language.
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Anger Management
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 6 parent reviews
Based on 36 kid reviews
Kids say this movie features a mix of crude humor and comedic violence, with parents warning against its suitability for younger viewers due to strong sexual content and profanity. While many found it funny and entertaining, opinions are divided, as some appreciate its humor and message, while others criticize it as one of the worst comedies from its lead actor.
- crude humor
- strong language
- adult content
- mixed reviews
- funny moments
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
What's the Story?
In ANGER MANAGEMENT, Dave (Adam Sandler), a deeply repressed executive assistant who designs clothing for overweight cats, is sentenced to anger management after a misunderstanding on an airplane and ends up in Dr. Rydell's (Jack Nicholson) therapy group. After another misunderstanding, he's sentenced to a full-time program that has the decidedly un-repressed Rydell moving in with him, going to work with him, and taking him on a road trip to Boston. Sparks fly as the two opposites try to deal with the uncomfortable arrangement. Rydell forces Dave to confront a childhood bully and pick up a pretty girl. He even persuades Dave to break up with his loyal girlfriend, Linda (Marisa Tomei). All of this is intended to get Dave to acknowledge his real feelings, leading to the inevitable "I learned so much from you!" conclusion.
Is It Any Good?
Just as mismatched as Anger Management's odd couple are the film's two competing scripts. The original script is credited to first-timer David Dorfman. Contributed by producer-star Adam Sandler, the second "script" has many pre-adolescent jokes about body parts and their functions and a lot of references to '80s pop culture. The result is an uneven blend of pretty low humor and REALLY low humor on the theme of utter humiliation. It's only barely saved by the sheer pleasure of watching Jack Nicholson.
Anger Management is a variation on every odd couple movie ever made, but especially Analyze This, which also had a comedian playing the straight man and a distinguished actor going wild. Adam Sandler plays his standard character. Yet while Nicholson plays his well-known "guy who just might do anything at any moment," he manages to toss in a few surprises.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how some comedic actors have a recognizable "brand" of comedy, a style that recurs in several of their movies. What is Adam Sandler's style, and what are the ways in which Anger Management is an example? Who are some other actors with a familiar comedic style seen across many of their movies?
How is the casting of Jack Nicholson as the therapist an unexpected role for those familiar with the types of characters Nicholson is known for playing?
How did the movie use stereotyping for the sake of humor? What groups were stereotyped? Is it all part of the obnoxious humor that is Sandler's style, or does it mine lazy humor out of groups that have often been easy targets of ridicule by society at large?
Movie Details
- In theaters : April 11, 2003
- On DVD or streaming : September 16, 2003
- Cast : Adam Sandler , Jack Nicholson , Marisa Tomei
- Director : Peter Segal
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Columbia Tristar
- Genre : Comedy
- Run time : 100 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : crude sexual content and language
- Last updated : October 9, 2025
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