Review of The Upside of Anger (2005) by Deb T — 17 Jan 2006

All I have to say after seeing "The Upside of Anger" is that Joan Allen rules! She continues to prove she is one of Hollywood's most accomplished actors. Unfortunately she has not been rewarded nearly enough for her countless virtuoso performances.

(Don't believe me? See "Pleasantville," "The Contender," "The Ice Storm" and now "The Upside of Anger.") As an uptight suburbanite mother, Joan Allen takes the audience on an emotional ride of understanding and sympathy which slowly evolves into distaste.

Perfectly paired to Joan Allen's Terry Ann Wolfmeyer is Kevin Costner as retired baseball star Denny Davies. (What a perfect role!) While the Wolfmeyers try to cope with the sudden absence of their patriarch, Davies drops by with a beer and an offer to be Terry's drinking buddy.

Obviously, the plan here is to develop a relationship which inevitably grows despite the required obstacles. The beauty of this movie is showcased by the performances of not only Allen and Costner, but the four Wolfmeyer girls played honestly (perhaps too much so) by Erika Christensen, Keri Russell, Alicia Witt and Evan Rachel Wood.

The story itself is a unique retelling of the age-old romance, and though the bitter Terry Ann Wolfmeyer can be understandably abrasive, the movie on the whole offers a lot of unsuspected laughs alongside the expected tears.