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On occasion, an archipelago offers a metaphorical illustration for the human race in regards to relationships, as each island represents a human being. In this metaphor the islands are dormant, unwilling to move, and only every 100 millennia these islands might bump into each other, as continental shifts sluggishly move great distances over a vast amount of time. Thus, the water between the islands gives the impression of infinite distances, even though the physical distance might only be a mere foot. Only an intangible source could generate such an elusive distance within human beings. The director Mike Binder explores the notion of intangible distance within a broken family through his The Upside of Anger. ***

Mike Binder does not waste any time in illustrating any complex ideas of how and what could possible create an endless distance within a family. In the first scene, the daughter Lavender (Evan Rachel Wood), also known as Popeye, states, “A case in point in anger’s ability to change us is my mother.” Through Popeye’s statement, Binder verbally and visually focuses the attention to the mother, Terry Wolfmeyer (Joan Allen). Through Terry, an obvious sentiment emerges, anger in the form of a cold and merciless resentment, which she continuously tries to control in the haze of vodka. Despite Terry’s concentrated efforts to bottle up her feelings with alcohol, her resentment seeps through her tightly shut bottleneck, as everyone of any relation to her falls victim to her anguishing well-managed rage at the most awkward moments. ***

After the opening where Terry and Popeye ride in the back of a limousine together with former baseball pro Denny Davies (Kevin Costner) to a funeral, the story jumps back three years. Through this extensive flashback, the audience learns that Terry’s husband Gray has left her for a young and beautiful Swedish secretary, which also seems to be the root for her anger. Her neighbor Denny soon learns about Gray’s departure, and invites himself into the home of the Wolfmeyer’s with the help of his manipulative charm. Together Terry and Denny become drinking buddies, as Denny also tries to drown the feeling of being a has-been. Nonetheless, Denny and Terry get closer to one another while Terry’s resentment and anger flare up in the most inappropriate moments where she ends up hurting her daughters emotionally. ***

The absence of the father Gray has shaken the Wolfmeyer family to the core, as he never has attempted to contact them. The neglect from the father furthers the emotional pain within the daughters who also must deal with their resentful mother. It has also hurt Terry, as she never got the opportunity to get closure to her relationship with Gray. Terry and her daughters have merely been left in an unfeeling no-mans land that is occasionally lightened up by the presence of Denny. Nonetheless, the daughters also find their own struggles such as getting married, post-high school educational decisions, and the people that the daughters date adds to Terry’s anger, which sporadically flares up in small explosions. ***

The Upside of Anger is a film that resembles two recent films Imaginary Heroes (2004) and Garden State (2004) in regards to the cold and detached atmosphere in the film. There is also some likeness with Little Women (1994), but regardless of the similarities with other films Binder succeeds in making a unique story that touches the audience. The story delivers a dissection of anger in a woman who ends up hurting those she loves. However, it is not the tearjerker that many might anticipate, but the film delivers several thoughtful messages worth pondering, as people try to reach across the water between the islands. *** ---

A clean image plays with the color filters as the seasons pass within the film. Colors increase the visuals and make the film even more appealing, but unfortunately, the audience will discover digital artifacts and some edge enhancement present on this disc. Yet, it will not remove anything from the cinematic experience in regards to the complete experience. ***

The sound comes in three different audio formats: DTS, Dolby Digital 5.1, and Stereo. All three sound very good, as dialogue drives the film, and there are very few action sounds that would make the DTS sound track push the home theater equipment through a powerful test. Nonetheless, the DTS sound comes across with a more detail when it smoothly flows out from the speakers. *** ---

In the special features section the extras are listed in following order: Deleted Scenes, Creating the Upside of Anger, Theatrical Trailer, and More From New Line. There are a total of eight deleted scenes on which Mike Binder explains why they were removed from the final cut. Overall, these scenes do not measure up with the final film, but it is an educational viewing. The second feature is also the best feature on this disc, which is an enlightening half hour documentary on the making of the film. Here the audience can see clips from the film intermittently between interviews of the cast and other significant filmmakers. Some of the things within this short making of documentary offer such things as a brief listing on Mike Binder’s accomplishments and the cast’s comments on the script. It will keep the audience’s interest, as they will learn more about the film and some of the filmmakers. The final two extras include a theatrical trailer and four trailers of previously released films by New Line such as Notebook (2004) and Pleasantville (1998). *** ---