The movie “Anger Management” adopts an emotional management and related treatment method, which has already been told to the audience in the title of the movie. “Anger Management” is the only effective treatment for the protagonist David. Anger management refers to how to control and manage one’s anger. In the film, David is unable to control his emotions, easily gets angry.
Therefore, his girlfriend sought the help of the emotional management master, Deven, to help her boyfriend change this psychological obstacle. Deven took a follow-up therapy approach, taking David to all the places they could go, using 3 stages to treat David. Everything arranged during the treatment process is not a coincidence, but a part of the treatment. Only the person involved is unaware.
The first stage is about teaching David how to express anger because anger is an internal response of discomfort, usually triggered by feelings of injustice or unacceptable setbacks. In emotional management, anger is a red alert. David is an implosive type of anger, so Deven wants him to evolve into an explosive type in the first phase. Because implosive anger, if suppressed blindly, can easily lead to psychological functional disorders. Just like that incident with Majue, who couldn’t bear it and resorted to murder. This is implosive anger, extremely dangerous. So in the film, Deven occasionally provokes David to learn to get angry, learn to vent, and learn when anger should erupt and when not to react. This way, mental and physical health can be restored.
The second stage is about learning how to control anger. When Deven taught David how to vent emotions and react to anger in the first stage, it’s time to teach him how to control it. Because we all know that if one only reacts to anger without knowing how to control it. That person becomes a time bomb. So Deven starts to make David understand “Why am I angry? Is this worth it? What benefits does it bring me?” to achieve self-soothing emotional management. In other words, make the anger disappear at the budding stage.
Just like a scene in the movie, when Deven took David to a bar, encouraged him to chat with a beautiful lady, it naturally failed the first time. David lost confidence and returned to his seat in dismay. Deven taught him a set of words and encouraged him to try again. After successfully chatting the second time, David couldn’t find Deven.
At that moment, David didn’t get angry but complained. Here you can see David gradually learning to control his anger. The scene shifts to the lady’s home, where she felt David was playing with her and kicked him out. David was not very angry at this point, just muttered a few words and left.
But when he went to Deven’s house and heard Deven say that his girlfriend had called and told her that he went on a date with someone else. There was a close-up of David’s face showing signs of anger twitching. It wasn’t until Deven provoked him again that he finally exploded. But Deven smiled and congratulated him on moving to the third stage of treatment. Unknowingly, David had started to learn when and how to react to anger.
Speaking of the third stage, it is indeed a bit heart-wrenching in the movie. Because this stage is the crucial emotional correction phase. When Deven suggested that he take a break from his girlfriend, David actually mentioned it. But when he found out that Deven was with his girlfriend, the anger resurfaced.
In a moment, a relationship of several years was replaced. When years of emotions turn to ash, it’s unbearable for anyone. Due to impulsive anger, David was issued a restraining order by the court. This is the result of wrong anger responses. When he saw that Deven was not really hurt at the court entrance, he felt cheated, but his emotional management was well controlled. He didn’t get angry but started planning how to win back his girlfriend.
That’s the climax of the whole movie. Loudly confessing at the sports event, expressing his emotions. This is the final stage, emotional correction. Undeniably, this is a great comedy movie about psychological treatment. The film avoids heavy preaching and instead directly demonstrates psychological treatment methods, making it easier for the audience to understand. Deven’s treatment for David is undoubtedly very successful – using anger to control anger, getting angry when necessary.
Movie Reviewer: Gong Xiang
