Newspapers / Elon University Student Newspaper / April 17, 2003, edition 1 / Page 19
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The Pendulum A & E Thursday, April 17, 2003 vPage 19 Movie review Sandler, Nicholson shine despite lukewarm plot Sean Hennen Reporter It was inevitable that “Anger Management” would spring to No. 1 at the box office in its opening week end. The film grossed an impressive $44.5 million, the highest ever for an April release. After months of a cinematic slump (Oscar nominees playing in limited release notwithstanding), audiences saw the comedic pairing of lovable goofball Adam Sandler and the always-amazing Jack Nicholson as a surefire winner. Unfortunately, the movie is not nearly as good as the cast, as recent promotional advertisements would make you believe. It almost feels as if the filmmakers behind “Anger Management” assumed the cast alone would support the entire film and neg lected the plot and pacing of the film. Director Pfeter Segal, best known for helming Chris Farley’s neo comedic classic ‘Tommy Boy,” has set the cameras and script on auto pilot during the course of this film, hoping that something brilliant will occur on screen. Not even close. Sandler plays low-key New Yoiker Dave Buznik. This mild-man- nered chap has a boss who doesn’t respect him, a girlfriend (Marisa Tomei) he is afigid to kiss in public and a jealousy problem toward social acquaintance Andrew (Allen Covert). Through a series of miscommuni- cations and instances of extremely bad luck, including a truly humcrous and relatable scene on an aiq^lane, Buznik ends up in the care of famed anger specialist Dr. Buddy Rydell (Nicholson). Faced with possible jail time, Buznik is ordered by the courts to strictly adhere to Rydell’s slightly unorthodox means of anger manage ment. This includes the good doctor moving in with Buznik, following him to woric, and forcing him to con- fiiont a childhood bully in one of the movie’s few outright hilarious moments. The rest of “Anger Management” can be summed up as a muddled mess of thin jokes and desperate attempts to drag laughter fium the audience. The film is stuffed witfi cameos, which asually signals a movie is struggling. The baief roles featuring Woody Harrelson as a drag queen and John C. Reilly as a Buddhist monk are TINA’S NAILS SPECIALS! SPECIALS! SPECIALS! 2551 S. 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As an executive producer on this film, Sandler attempted to reach out to greater numbers with the casting of Nicholson, but association alone won’t do it Nicholson is merely coasting through this movie. He knows that there is absolutely no room to move in a cramped plot full of tired cliches and sight gags. Instead, he simply falls back on his tried-but-true trade mark eyebrows and facial expres sions. Photo courtesy of Sony Pictures A smug Jack Nicholson and outrag^ Adam Sandler pair up in “Anger Management. ” While the film grossed $44.5 million its opening weekend, the lukewarm plot is uninspired. Luckily for Nicholson, he has just given one of the best perform ances of his career in “About Schmidt” and therefore, audiences will no doubt forgive him for this lame cash-in on his famous name. Rating: Nicholson is the only ray of light in this otherwise messy comedy. Contact Sean Hennen at pendu- lum@elon.edu or 278-7247. c_o i m ANY SALON SERVICE With Coupon* Students Only $16.00 minimum service ♦not valid with any other discount “Voted Best S a Ion I n Alamance County ” Offering: * Body Wraps * Facials * Hair * Nails * Tanning * Color* Perms* Waxing * 336.229.4247 Monday - 1 p.m. - 6 p.m. Tuesday thru Thursday - 9 a.m. - 8 p.m. Friday - 9 a.m. - 6 p.m. Saturday - 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. 1066 S. Church St. Burlington, NC uBlSiSu In theaters: Friday “Bulletproof Monk” (fg-d) Starring Chow Yun-Fat, Sean William Scott “Holes” (PG) Starring Sigourney Weaver, Henry Winkler. Shia La Beouf “Malibu’s Most Wanted” (PG-13) Starring Jaime Kennedy, Ryan O’Neal In concert: Thursday Ziggy’s - Wmston-Salem Cowboy Mouth, Wil Seabrook Tickets $ 15/advance; show M 9 p.m. Go! Room 4 - Carrboro Jennifer Nettles Tickets $8; show at 9 p.m. Raleigh Convention Center - Raleigh Tlie String Cheese Incident Tickets $27.50; show at 7 pjii. Monday Ziggy’s Guster, Wheat Tickets $ 15/door; show at 9 pm, Lincoln "nieatre - Raleigh ThiKl Eye Blind Tickets through E-bay; show 9 p.m. 'Hiesday Ziggy’s Tliird Eye Blind Tickets throufji E-bay; show at 9 pm. New Releases: T\iesday Madonna - “Animcan Life” Tower of Power - "Oaklaixi Zoik” Daniel Lanois - “Shine" Opeth - "Damrtaion” Mitfia McKee - “High Dive” Variety is the Spice of Life Rock, Stock and 2 Smoking Stages is coming April 26. Sponsored by WSOE and Student Union Board, the show will feature Virginia Coalition and sev eral other bands, including Evoka, Weszt, Cinema 8. Revelation Darling, The Flood. Drive She Said, OHE, Tlie Reverend Jenkins Blues Project and the B-town All-Stars. Tickets are avail able in down.stairs Moseley and are $5 with a Phoenix card and $10 without. Proceeds will benefit the Special Olympics of Alamance County. Volunteers are also needed to staff the event’s food concessions, tickets sales and collection, .stage changing, .set-up and clean-up.
Elon University Student Newspaper
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April 17, 2003, edition 1
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