THE UPSIDE OF ANGER

Starring:
Joan Allen, Kevin Costner, Erika Christensen, Keri Russell, Alicia Witt, Mike Binder and Evan Rachel Wood

Writer/Director:
Mike Binder

Running Time:
118 mins

Out to buy on DVD 27/08/07

"I gotta go..."

After her husband leaves her for younger woman and moves to Sweden, Terry (Allen) and her daughters have to cope with what he has done. While the girls approach it in very different ways, Terry just proceeds to get more and more angry until her neighbour and local radio presenter Denny (Costner) starts to take an interest. Avoiding him completely, Terry struggles to adjust to starting her life again but Denny is very persistent.

Family dramas are the stalwart of many a Hollywood movie but what can 'The Upside of Anger' do to make it stand out?

Writer/director/actor Mike Binder takes us on a journey into anger and the rediscovery of the passion of life. Coping with the end of a relationship is different for everyone and Mike Binder's lead character Terry does this by getting extremely angry at the world and everyone around her. Her daughters Andy, Emily, Hadley and Lavender also go through journey, as they also deal with the absence of their father but the whole family are affected by the arrival of a new man in their lives, Denny.

Just when you think that life couldn't get any worst, something or someone enters your life and changes it for the better. Well that is the Hollywood way of thinking but Mike Binder and his creative team create a story and a set of characters that are easy to follow and care about. You can understand Terry's anger and her reluctance to accept someone new in her life and the same can be said about her daughters. It is also a big change for Denny, the free spirited sports DJ who likes a drink and a good time. The writing and the performance make you relate to the character and care for their situation, which is the main emphasis of any drama.

To bring a story like this life you have to have a very good ensemble cast and 'The Upside of Anger' certainly has that. Leading the line is Joan Allen, an excellent character actress who draws you into any role she plays. As Terry, she is consumed by anger after what her husband did to her but the character isn't really that likable because of this as even her daughters cannot get her out of this rut. Erika Christensen, Keri Russell, Alicia Witt and Evan Rachel Wood play daughters Andy, Emily, Hadley and Lavender, with Andy having an affair with a much older man (played by writer/director Mike Binder), Emily fighting illness, Hadley getting married and Lavender, or Popeye as she is better known, has to cope with been the youngest of the group. Stealing the film however is the performance of Kevin Costner as reluctant Sports radio presenter Denny Davies. Showing a real gift for delivering all the comedic lines of the movie, this is Costner's best role since 'Open Range' in 2003.

'The Upside of Anger' is a well acted, character driven drama about rediscovering the important things in life. While it may be a little confusing as to who is the main emphasis of the story, as it switches between Joan Allen and Evan Rachel Wood's characters, this is a tightly scripted story with an exceptional ensemble cast bringing a good tale to life. You won't be too angry watching this.

PICTURE & SOUND

Presented in Widescreen 1.85:1 Anamorphic with a Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack, the transfer is good.

BONUS FEATURES

None

OVERALL

The complete lack of any DVD extras for 'The Upside of Anger' will come as a complete let down to fans of the film. Releasing a movie without extra should be classed as a criminal offence as DVD buyers now expect a little bit more for their money than just the movie.

DVD


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