After six months of winter, what we all need around here is some big, stupid fun. And here it is -- Anger Management opens in theatres today.

Anger Management is the story of a meek guy who winds up in court, charged with air rage. It's all a misunderstanding, but part of his sentence involves attending anger management sessions. The meek guy is played by Adam Sandler; the doctor conducting the anger management therapy is played by Jack Nicholson. Slowly, as the doctor drives him crazy, our meek guy is revealed to be a hidden hothead; the doctor gets him to get mad, get brave and get a life. Familiar turf.

Both Jack Nicholson and Adam Sandler are at their most fully idiotic in this lightweight fare. In terms of comedy, there's really nothing new going on -- but what saves their bacon (and the movie) are some unexpectedly funny bits of dialogue, puerile humour aimed at adults (huh?) and a handful of comedic bits from a supporting cast that includes John Turturro, Luis Guzman and Allen Covert. Covert, who is also the executive producer of the film, gets to be the centre of a running gag about penis size. It is too stupid. And funny.

Also in the cast are Marisa Tomei and the late Lynne Thigpen, with cameos from Heather Graham, Harry Dean Stanton, John C. Reilly, Woody Harrelson, former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani, John McEnroe and other celebs.

What's funny? Nicholson and Sandler sitting in traffic, singing a duet from West Side Story. Sandler's job, which entails designing clothes for overweight house cats. John C. Reilly as a playground bully who grows up to be a Buddhist monk. Every scene with John Turturro -- who was the butler in Mr. Deeds. Come to think of it, Sandler should ensure Turturro's presence in all his future films. That mixture of fun and menace (and madness) that Jack Nicholson needs both his grin and his eyebrows to pull off is something Turturro can do just by showing his eye teeth. Take a look sometime.

Anger Management has a limp plot, but that's okay. This isn't storytelling. This is a collection of punch-lines and sight-gags, and some of them work quite well.

They work even better if you're in the mood for mindless laughs and easy entertainment.

(This film is rated PG)

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