With years of built-up rage, and a therapist (Jack Nicholson) pushing his buttons, Dave Buznik is forced to go through some unconventional therapy in “Anger Management.”

The film starts by showing how childhood episodes with bullies and years of not standing up for himself drives Buznik (Adam Sandler) into emotional instability.

Sandler eventually winds up in an anger relief program because he is said to become “the guy behind the cash register that shoots up the entire store,” mostly because he doesn’t know how to deal with stress.

The movie progresses into Buznik being forced by Nicholson into extreme situations, which allows Buznik to grow and figure out how to use his anger positively.

This is in contrast to earlier situations, one of which involves Buznik accidentally breaking a cocktail waitress’ nose while trying to steal a blind man’s cane.

Nicholson will have major critics do what they do best and knock him for taking a film that has him playing opposite Adam Sandler.

Yet, “Anger Management” shows you just how good this soon-to-be-67-year-old character actor still is.

The interaction between Nicholson and Sandler onscreen is remarkable. Nicholson as the mentor and Sandler as the student seem to be fitting roles for these two. Their interaction is natural and in place, which makes their roles the best part of this movie.

Many cameo roles are used to throw in a change of pace for the movie. Woody Harrelson plays a she-male prostitute/security guard. The infamous Texas Tech University basketball coach Bobby Knight is not shown going to anger management meetings, but going to a sexaholics meeting.

“Anger Management” has the right chemistry with two smoking guns like Nicholson and Sandler, yet it definitely has problems with the plot.

For the most part, comedies are not intended for deep plots. “Anger Management” eventually becomes confusing.

The decision to dumb down the plot is not good for an already simple comedy. It would have been better for the movie to keep you guessing and not make the ending so obvious. “Anger Management” walks the thin line between a movie that wants you to think and a movie that makes you laugh at the silly humor. This is not good for a comedy; it just doesn’t sit right.

While I was watching “Anger Management,” I was reminded of the movie “The Game,” by David Fincher. Both movies have a conspiracy plot that everyone from friends to family is in on. Each and every twist and turn seems to happen quite coincidentally in both of these movies. Because of this, it begs the question, “How did they know he was going to do that next?”

“Anger Management” leaves you feeling that the script originally was for another movie and was covered up and pasted over with a comedy.