MOVIE: Upside Of Anger
Starring Joan Allen, Kevin Costner
Written and Directed by Mike Binder (New Line Cinema)
Reviewed by Rusty Pipes

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Joan Allen plays Terry Wolfmeyer, a woman whose husband leaves her and her four daughters suddenly. Kevin Kostner plays Denny Davies, a former major leaguer with a radio show who becomes Terry's drinking partner as Terry wallows in a monumental depression, spurning anyone who tries to help her, including Denny most of the time.

The story is told by Popeye, the youngest daughter, played by Evan Rachel Wood with a detached verity, maybe because her mother expends most of her vitriol on Hadley (Alicia Witt) the eldest, and Emily (Keri Russel), who yearns to be a dancer. She certainly doesn't jump for joy when Andy (Erika Christensen) gets involved with Shep, Denny's producer, either.

Writer-Director Mike Binder also plays Shep; it seems seems like he's trying to channel Paul Giamatti for it. He does a much better job elliciting fine performances from rest of the cast. There are indeed some great character studies here, especially Joan Allen, who commands respect for her unfliching portrayal of poisonous anger at the husband's running off to Sweden with a younger woman. Kevin Costner is always best in films that involve baseball in some way, and here he gets some of the best lines when he explains why he hangs around Terry.

Watching Upside's parade of arguments, I was wondering what I was supposed to be watching for. All the daughters look different, I was half expecting the big payoff to be that Terry had been having affairs of her own all along. I guess I don't see a whole lot of entertainment value in watching Terry try to infect all her relationships with her anger. Still, it could easily have been a glorified soap opera; Binder's script holds together pretty well in the end. Maybe it will appeal to the Ordinary People and Tears Of Endearment crowd.

The Skinny:
Did I enjoy the movie? I just love watching mental anguish, NOT!

© 2005 - Rusty Pipes