Starring Adam Sandler and Jack Nicholson with Marisa Tomei, Luis Guzmán, Woody Harrelson and John Turturro in supporting roles, the film tells the story of a businessman who is sentenced to an anger management program under a renowned therapist with unconventional methods.

This marks the final film role for Lynne Thigpen, who died weeks before its release and is dedicated in her memory.

In Brooklyn in 1978, Dave Buznik is about to experience his first kiss, but is humiliated by local bully Arnie Shankman who suddenly pulls down his pants and underwear.

His problems are exacerbated by his arrogant co-worker, Andrew, who is close friends with Linda and desires to rekindle their romantic relationship.

Dave's sentence is extended to 30 days after he accidentally breaks a waitress's nose while defending himself from a blind man's cane during a bar fight with his "anger buddy", Chuck.

To enhance Dave's assertiveness, Buddy arranges for him to get revenge on Arnie Shankman, who has become a Buddhist monk, under the alias name, "Pana Kamanana".

Dave returns to court where Buddy issues a restraining order against him for attempting to choke him while wearing a neck brace (which later turned out to be fake).

Linda then reveals that the game was the final phase of his therapy and explains that the aggravation he endured was all part of a setup planned by herself and Buddy after she read his anger management book.

Several others appeared as themselves, such as: Anger Management was number one at the box office on its opening weekend, April 11–13, 2003, earning $42.2 million.

"[7] Caroline Westbrook for Empire magazine thought "A better script and more attention to other cast members would have helped but, as it stands, this is still the best Adam Sandler comedy since The Wedding Singer.

"[8] William Arnold of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer gave the film a D, describing it as "a perfectly dreadful affair that makes no sense, has almost no good laughs and finally just sinks like a rock in a Beverly Hills swimming pool.

A television series based loosely on the film premiered on June 28, 2012,[12] starring Charlie Sheen in the role originated by Jack Nicholson; though not sharing the same name, the series was Sheen's first acting role since his firing from the hit CBS sitcom Two and a Half Men on March 7, 2011, after eight seasons.