RipDelight
This is a tender, generous movie that likes its characters and presents them as real people, full of flaws and strengths.
Ariella Broughton
It is neither dumb nor smart enough to be fun, and spends way too much time with its boring human characters.
Matylda Swan
It is a whirlwind of delight --- attractive actors, stunning couture, spectacular sets and outrageous parties.
SnoopyStyle
Terry Wolfmeyer (Joan Allen) was a nice suburban housewife until her husband disappeared with his Swedish secretary. She's an angry depressed mess with her 4 daughters (Erika Christensen, Keri Russell, Alicia Witt, Evan Rachel Wood). Then her neighbor Denny Davies (Kevin Costner) becomes her drinking buddy.There are great actresses at work here. Joan Allen has all the skills to bring the anger, the frustration, and the likability for us to still root for her. There are some moments of levity, and a couple of good jokes. There is even a great moment between her and Shep (Mike Binder). Mike Binder does a good job as writer/director. However, he could add a few more jokes to liven up the movie.
wolfcub7
The trailer sucks and does not do justice to the actual movie which is a wonderful experience.Joan Allen is the most natural actor I think I've ever known, although the rest of this movies' cast did a great job too. This leads me to how delightfully and perfectly genuine this movie's story turned out to feel like not only through the entire presentation but the actors contributed tons to that aspect. I mean, it didn't even feel like I was watching a movie with actors playing roles, but more like watching real life happening in the neighbourhood or something. A part of this is in the general atmosphere which is very calm all through the movie but never gets boring, not ever but more like draws you in. Yet this doesn't lack interesting drama - it just doesn't come off as movie-ish as usually in movies.Even so, I daresay even those who are more into action and adventure, may very well enjoy this. At least me and my brother who are fans of stuff like The Lord of the Rings, Sherlock Holmes and other such, we truly enjoyed this movie.There a very graphic gory moment which is one of the humorous moments of the over-all pleasantly genuine humour in this movie. I bet gore is something you'd never expect to see in a movie of this genre, but they totally made it fit in. It suits the situation in which it happens by the how and why it happens. Even if yo're sensitive to gore, I daresay that scene will not bother you but rather amuse. I daresay this because even my other brother who is extremely sensitive to any violence in movies, was not bothered and found it funny regardless of how graphic it was. But of course we're all individuals, so be warned; there is a really gory moment that is likely to rather amuse but might disturb as well.Now, personally they lost me at some point with the whole anger-philosophy one of the characters speaks in voice-overs. The beginning was easy to follow and understand but along the way and at the end I it got more complicated...but it hardly matters because the story itself already got its point through when it comes to anger. Especially through the ending twist which you kind of saw coming but not really. I bet no one could guess the rather shocking revelation of the full picture. Here I must warn, that the final truth of the story is somewhat depressing, maybe even slightly disturbing for the most sensitive of people. But again, that twist adds to the genuine-life feel and power of this movie, and makes this the memorable and important piece that this is.I warmly recommend this to anyone, no matter what your preferred movie genre is. You're going to miss a lot if you don't watch this movie.
Bolesroor
"The Upside Of Anger" features the most creative stunt casting in film history: Keri Russel, Alicia Witt, Evan Rachel Wood & Erika Christensen are supposed to be sisters.Wowsers! The girls look absolutely nothing alike, not even accidentally. They don't even look like four girls who would be FRIENDS nevermind sisters. But, hey, it's a movie... I can suspend my disbelief.There's enough good things going on here to get past the family tree anyway... love it or hate it this is not a movie you've seen before. It's a completely original story about a recently abandoned wife who turns to drinking and a former baseball star to deal with her unhappiness and anger. Joan Allen is great here and so is Kevin Costner. Although I usually despise the man I must say his acting has finally come full-circle: he is completely unafraid to play fat, unappealing and oddball. He's no longer governed by some studio-controlled image of himself as Gary Cooper-esque leading man. He's ready to just Act, and let the chips fall where they may.Erika Christensen steals the show here as Andy, gorgeous and luscious, with a perfect pair of breasts that can scarcely keep from leaping out of her low-cut tops and doing a tap dance on the table top. (She gives good mammary.) Keri Russel is great in an underdeveloped role and Evan Rachel Wood plays a girl with the inexplicable name of Popeye... no, I don't know why either.The movie tends to veer from broad comedy to intense drama and then to realistic character study... it's these changes in tone that make it uneven and difficult to enjoy as a singular cohesive idea. The movie also loses points for its cartoonish score, in which plucked strings turn the proceedings goofy and nonsensical, when a dignified melody would have served more effectively.It's not fantastic cinema, and at times it seems to be a cross between "American Beauty" & "Uncle Buck," but "The Upside Of Anger" is an earnest character-driven movie that provides some nice quiet moments, some drama, and some genuine laughs. That's enough for me tonight.GRADE: B-
S.R. Dipaling
Terry Ann Wolfemeyer(Joan Allen)is feeling life cave in around her. Her daughters are seemingly growing up too fast,her drinking is coming WAY too easily and she's just found out that her husband's been cheating on her with his Swedish secretary/assistant. As if this isn't bad enough,said hubby disappears,apparently running off with said mistress.IN her desire to not drink alone,she makes the company of an equally boozy former major league pitcher named Denny DAvies(Kevin Costner,in what feels like his eighteenth movie where he's a baseball player).Together,they stumble along to something approximating a relationship in their own clumsy,inebriated way,and also come to an understanding that in their loneliness and drinking,their apparent lack of having much else in common might be more superficial than they either expected.Great performances by Costner(who's a real RE-discovery here),Allen and--as Allen's sharp and increasingly opinionated daughters--Evan Rachel Wood,Keri Russell,Alicia Witt and Erika Christensen buoy this movie directed by and co-written by one-time stand-up comic Mike Binder(who also co-stars as Denny's radio producer and erstwhile friend). This sis certainly a good cheap rent if not a top-dollar ticket viewing experience. Give it a try and see if you don't agree.
