The Upside of Anger (2005)

Director:

Mike Binder

Writer (WGA):

Mike Binder (written by)

Release Date:

1 April 2005 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Tagline:

Sometimes what tears us apart helps us put it back together

Plot:

When her husband unexpectedly disappears, a sharp-witted suburban wife and her daughters juggle their mom's romantic dilemmas and family dynamics.

Plot Keywords:

Drinking | Baseball | Radio | Anger | Neighbor

Awards:

4 wins & 8 nominations

Cast

Joan Allen	...	Terry Ann Wolfmeyer
Kevin Costner	...	Denny Davies
Erika Christensen	...	Andy Wolfmeyer
Keri Russell	...	Emily Wolfmeyer
Alicia Witt	...	Hadley Wolfmeyer
Evan Rachel Wood	...	Lavender 'Popeye' Wolfmeyer
Mike Binder	...	Adam 'Shep' Goodman
Tom Harper	...	David Junior
Dane Christensen	...	Gorden Reiner
Danny Webb	...	Grey Wolfmeyer
Magdalena Manville	...	Darlene
Suzanne Bertish	...	Gina
David Firth	...	David Senior
Rod Woodruff	...	Dean Reiner (as Roderick P. Woodruff)
Stephen Greif	...	Emily's Doctor
Arthur Penhallow	...	Himself
Richard Mylan	...	Disc Jockey
Robert Perkins	...	Town Car Man
William Tapley	...	Dr. Lewis
Owen Oakeshott	...	Builder Foreman (as Owen Oakshoot)
Bella Sabbagh	...	Radio Station Receptionist
Kathryn Wade	...	Ballet Dancer
Michelle Denholm	...	Ballet Dancer
Natalie Domanski	...	Ballet Dancer
Sophie Gorrod	...	Ballet Dancer
Carolyn Logan	...	Ballet Dancer
Alison McWhinney	...	Ballet Dancer
Natasha O'Brien	...	Ballet Dancer
Stina Quagebeur	...	Ballet Dancer
Olivia Ratcliffe	...	Ballet Dancer
Laura Suttle	...	Ballet Dancer
Nicola Wallis	...	Ballet Dancer
Miki Weatherford	...	Ballet Dancer
Nao Yamazato	...	Ballet Dancer
Gavin Munn	...	Wedding Band - The Gavin Munn Band
Nicholas White	...	Wedding Band - The Gavin Munn Band
Peter Hajioff	...	Wedding Band - The Gavin Munn Band
Chris Banks	...	Wedding Band - The Gavin Munn Band
Roger Batting	...	Wedding Band - The Gavin Munn Band
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Greg Bennett	...	Mourner (uncredited)
Danny McCluskey	...	Fan (uncredited)
Peter Rnic	...	Bodyguard (uncredited)

Directed by
Mike Binder

Writing credits (WGA)
Mike Binder		(written by)

Produced by
Jack Binder	....	producer
Chris Curling	....	associate producer
Mark Damon	....	executive producer
Alex Gartner	....	producer
Andreas Grosch	....	executive producer
Stewart Hall	....	executive producer
Peter Heslop	....	line producer
Sammy Lee	....	producer
Andreas Schmid	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Alexandre Desplat

Cinematography by
Richard Greatrex		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Steve Edwards
Robin Sales

Casting by
Danielle Roffe

Production Design by
Chris Roope

Art Direction by
Tim Stevenson

Set Decoration by
Neesh Ruben

Costume Design by
Deborah Lynn Scott		(as Deborah Scott)

Makeup Department
Sarita Allison	....	makeup artist
Chris Benoit	....	hair stylist
Elle Elliott	....	hair stylist: Mr. Costner
Daniel Galvin Senior	....	colour consultant
Teresa Kelly	....	hair stylist
Teresa Kelly	....	makeup artist
Sian Richards	....	hair designer
Sian Richards	....	makeup designer
John Schoonraad	....	makeup effects designer/supervisor
Felicity Wright	....	hair stylist supervisor
Felicity Wright	....	makeup supervisor

Production Management
Jack Binder	....	unit production manager
Jay Coquillon	....	post-production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Jack Binder	....	second unit director
Chris Burgess	....	additional third assistant director
Melanie Dicks	....	first assistant director
Martin Krauka	....	second assistant director
Sarah MacFarlane	....	third assistant director
Andrew McEwan	....	first assistant director: second unit (uncredited)

Art Department
Lee Bryant	....	chief dressing props
Alfie Burgess	....	stand-by props
Stephen Campbell	....	stand-by art director
Steven Campbell	....	stand-by art director
Lee Reilly	....	stand-by carpenter
Zoe Scivoletto	....	assistant set decorator
Andrew Tapper	....	art department assistant
Ian Williamson	....	stand-by painter
Terry Wood	....	property master
Terry Woods	....	property master

Sound Department
Stuart Bagshaw	....	sound editor
Howard Bargroff	....	sound re-recording mixer
Tony Bell	....	sound maintenance
Matthew Desorgher	....	sound maintenance
Phillip A. Hamilton	....	adr recordist
Christopher Harvengt	....	adr supervisor
Stewart Henderson	....	adr editor
Dan Johnson	....	sound re-recording mixer
Hugh Johnson	....	sound re-recording mixer
Gareth Llewellyn	....	assistant sound re-recording mixer
Miriam Ludbrook	....	dialogue supervisor
Gareth Meirion	....	sound trainee (as Gareth Thomas)
Zak Melemendjian	....	adr editor (as Peter Melemendjian)
Michael Miller	....	adr mixer
Jeremy Price	....	supervising sound designer
Jeremy Price	....	supervising sound editor
John Rodda	....	sound mixer
Brian Simmons	....	sound mixer
Barnaby Smyth	....	supervising foley editor
Graeme Stoten	....	adr supervisor
David Turner	....	sound technical coordinator
Michele Woods	....	supervising sound editor

Special Effects by
Ben Ashmore	....	special effects coordinator
Paddy Burnside	....	special effects engineer
Tom Harris	....	special effects supervisor
Alan Hedgcock	....	special effects makeup
Paul Kelly	....	special effects supervisor (as Paul Kelley)
Jules Pellicci	....	special effects production coordinator
Simon Rose	....	special effects makeup
Simon Rose	....	special effects technician: exploding head effects
Cliff Wallace	....	special effects makeup

Visual Effects by
Gary J. Brown	....	Inferno artist
Sally Clayton	....	digital film producer
Safiya Ravat	....	digital effects artist
Anthony Wonsoff	....	digital compositor

Stunts
Rod Woodruff	....	stunt coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
Jim Alloway	....	second camera operator
David Ashby	....	second camera grip
Robin Browne	....	director of photography: second unit, Detroit
Paul Buffery	....	stand-by rigger
Paul Chedlow	....	still photographer
Bob Cooke	....	clapper loader
Russell Diamond	....	grip
Terry Eden	....	best boy
Dan Garlick	....	second camera grip
Simon Gilmour	....	camera loader
Gary Hedges	....	electrician
Dermot Hickey	....	focus puller
Alice Hobden	....	second camera loader
Andrew Hoehn Jr.	....	first assistant camera: Detroit
Demetri Jagger	....	video assist operator
Brian Jones	....	gaffer
Andy O'Connor	....	electrician
Peter O'Connor	....	focus puller: second camera
Gerry Vasbenter	....	Steadicam operator
Gerry Vasbenter	....	camera operator
Zoe Whittaker	....	video assist operator: dailies

Casting Department
Gary Davy	....	casting: UK

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Elena D'Cruze-Reynolds	....	junior costume assistant
Lucy Denny	....	costume assistant
Rebecca Duncan	....	wardrobe supervisor
Sarah Fawkner	....	costume runner
Laura N. Flores	....	costume production assistant
Rebecca Gore	....	wardrobe assistant
Mari Grimaud	....	costume supervisor
Karen Hobbs	....	costume assistant
Sally Mason	....	wardrobe supervisor
Linda Millen	....	wardrobe mistress
Elizabeth Wilson	....	assistant costume designer (as Lizzy Wilson)

Editorial Department
Jeremy Baxter	....	post-production assistant
Joe Fineman	....	post-production consultant
Steve Harrow	....	post-production consultant
Michael Nouryeh	....	assistant editor
Rod Shelton	....	digital intermediate producer
Lance Stubblefield	....	assistant editor
Cliff Thomas	....	color grader
Laurent Treherne	....	digital intermediate supervisor
Mick Vincent	....	colorist
Tracey Wadmore-Smith	....	associate editor
Mat Whitecross	....	documentary editor
Laurie McDowell	....	assistant editor (uncredited)
Jim Passon	....	final color timer (uncredited)

Music Department
Maggie Bazin	....	music clearance coordinator
Alexandre Desplat	....	conductor
Alexandre Desplat	....	orchestrator
Dave Jordan	....	music supervisor
Solrey Lemonnier	....	music producer
Gordan Nikolitch	....	orchestra leader
Jon Olive	....	music editor
Jojo Villanueva	....	music coordinator (as Jo Jo Villanueva)

Transportation Department
Simon Burgess	....	facility driver: unit base stand-by
Martin Jones	....	driver
Simon Jones	....	driver
Graham Kelly	....	action vehicle coordinator
Andrew Nolan	....	genny driver
Chris J. Smith	....	picture vehicle technician
Dave Williams	....	facilities driver

Other crew
Jasa Abreo	....	assistant: Kevin Costner
Huda Abuzeid	....	assistant: Jack Binder
Sonya A. Avakian	....	production assistant
Linzi Baltrunas	....	assistant location manager
Terry Blyther	....	location manager
Sean Bradley	....	representative: Media 8 Entertainment
Lesley Broderick	....	production accountant
Carn Burton	....	location finder
Clair Chrysler	....	lead stand-in: Joan Allen
Valentina Coccia	....	assistant production coordinator
Merryn Conaway	....	assistant: Jack Binder
Christopher Coote	....	floor runner
Randy Dannenberg	....	film executive
Kerstin Dyroff	....	production coordinator: VIP Medienfonds
Billy Edwards	....	charge hand stand-by propman
Mike Fraser	....	digital film consultant
Robin Green	....	second assistant accountant
John Gunnery	....	stand-in
Chaz Harris	....	assistant: Jack Binder
Alexander Hodgson	....	production assistant
Jessica L. Jordan	....	representative: Media 8 Entertainment
Solomon J. LeFlore	....	production financing
Maggie Murray	....	assistant accountant
Eva Neufahrt	....	controller
Brian O'Shea	....	executive: Media 8 Entertainment
Brian O'Shea	....	world sales executive
Claire Packer	....	assistant: Sammy Lee
Jeremy Pelzer	....	studio director ealing studios
Jenna Piccolo	....	executive
Aris Piliguian	....	assistant: Alex Gartner
Pam Plummer	....	assistant: Joan Allen
Bill Ridealgh	....	unit medic
David Rumble	....	production assistant
Bella Sabbagh	....	stand-in: Alicia Witt
Nicole Sacker	....	assistant: Jack Binder
Katryna Samut-Tagliaferro	....	production coordinator
Caroline Sax	....	script supervisor
Richard Senior	....	floor runner
Diane Slattery	....	unit publicist
Charlie Somers	....	location scout
Tamara Stuparich de la Barra	....	creative executive: Media 8
Jelena Tadic	....	executive
Michael J. Urann	....	representative: Media 8 Entertainment
Matthew Waldman	....	production liaison
Oli Wennink	....	post-production assistant to producer
Rachel Zimmerman	....	assistant: Mike Binder
Christa Zofcin	....	business affairs executive
Richard Rowntree	....	assistant: Steve Harrow (uncredited)

Production Companies

• New Line Cinema (presents)
• Media 8 Entertainment (in association with)
• VIP 2 Medienfonds
• VIP 3 Medienfonds
• MDP Filmproduktion
• Sunlight Productions (as Sunlight)
• Greentrees Films

Distributors

• Alliance Atlantis Communications (2005) (Canada) (theatrical)
• Eagle Pictures (2005) (Italy) (theatrical)
• Fine Line Features (2005) (USA) (theatrical)
• Gateno Films (2005) (Peru) (theatrical)
• Hoyts Distribution (2004) (Australia) (theatrical)
• Independent Films (2005) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Metropolitan Filmexport (2005) (France) (theatrical)
• Shaw Organisation (2005) (Singapore) (theatrical)
• TOBIS Film (200?) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Telexcel (2006) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• TriPictures (2005) (Spain) (theatrical)
• Alliance Atlantis Home Video (2005) (Canada) (DVD)
• Film1 (2006) (Netherlands) (TV) (limited)
• Gativideo (2006) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Gativideo (2006) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Net5 (2009) (Netherlands) (TV)
• Universum Film (UFA) (200?) (Germany) (DVD)

Special Effects

• VTR (visual effects)
• Any Effects (special effects)
• Cine Image Film Opticals (end titles)
• Vertigo Rigging (special effects engineering)

Other Companies

• 2020 Casting  extras casting
• ABC News Video Source  footage (as ABCNews Videosource)
• ARRI Media  camera and lenses
• Angel Studios  music recorded and mixed at
• Axiom Films  payroll services
• Barclays Bank PLC  banking services
• Big Time Picture Company  cutting rooms
• Big Time Picture Company  editing equipment
• Bungee Extreme  equipment & safety
• Business Affairs  production counsel
• Cable News Network (CNN)  footage (as CNN)
• Cine Image Film Opticals  titles (as Cineimage)
• Compuhire  video playback
• Corbis Motion  footage
• David Deane Associates  health and safety
• Dream Cars  picture vehicle supplier
• Edit Hire (New Technology)  cutting rooms (as Edithire)
• Edit Hire (New Technology)  editing equipment (as Edithire)
• Film Finances  completion guarantor
• Fujifilm  film stock
• Greentree Films  footage
• ICB Entertainment Finance  production financing
• ITN Archive  footage
• Image Bank Films by Getty Images  footage
• International Documentary Services (IDS)  shipping agent
• Lee Lighting  lighting
• London Symphony Orchestra, The (LSO)  music performed by
• Malde & Co.  auditors
• Midnight Express  shipping agent
• Midnight Transfer  cutting rooms
• Midnight Transfer  editing equipment
• Midnight Transfer  rushes transfer
• Movie Lot, The  security
• NBC Studios  footage
• Now Clear This!  script clearance
• On Set Location Services  facilities vehicles and trailers (as On Set)
• Premiere Catering  catering
• Professional Negative Cutting  negative cutting (as PNC Ltd.)
• Runway  post-production
• Sapex Scripts  continuity scripts
• Speare & Company  insurance provider
• Steeple Post Production Services  post-production consultant
• Streamline Films  footage
• Stunt Dogs  animal handler
• Technicolor  laboratory (as Technicolor London)
• VTR  digital intermediate
• Videosonics Cinema Sound  sound re-recording (as Videosonics Cinema Sound, London)
• WPA Film Library  footage
• Wavevend Communications  mobile telephones (as Wavevend)
• Wavevend Communications  walkie-talkies (as Wavevend)

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated R for language, sexual situations, brief comic violence and some drug use

Runtime:

USA:118 min

Country:

USA | Germany | UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Australia:M | Brazil:14 | Hong Kong:IIB | Netherlands:12 | USA:R | Germany:12 | Canada:14A | Finland:K-11 | Sweden:7 | Singapore:M18 (DVD rating) | Singapore:NC-16 (original rating) | France:U | Belgium:KT | Argentina:13 | Ireland:15A | Iceland:12 | UK:15 | South Korea:15

Filming Locations:

Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA

Company:

New Line Cinema

Trivia:

Writer/director Mike Binder said that Kevin Costner's character is an amalgamation of Detroit Tigers baseball players Denny McLain (from whom the character gets his first name) and Kirk Gibson.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Hadley is going back to college and loading the SUV, the neighbor passes by walking the dog, right to left. When she is getting into the car the rear end of the dog is seen again walking by, right to left, thereby making the dog and owner walk past the car twice in a few seconds.

Quotes:

Gorden Reiner:[Popeye kisses Gordon] I'm gay.
Lavender "Popeye" Wolfmeyer:What?
[laughs]
Lavender "Popeye" Wolfmeyer:No you're not.
[pause]
Lavender "Popeye" Wolfmeyer:Are you just saying that cause you don't wanna kiss me?
Gorden Reiner:I like men.
Lavender "Popeye" Wolfmeyer:I don't believe you. I think you're lying.
[pause]
Lavender "Popeye" Wolfmeyer:Have you ever had gay sex? What about sex with a woman? Just have sex with me and if you don't like it, then you can be gay.
[...]

Movie Connections:

Features The Rink (1916)

Soundtrack:

Girl, You'll Be a Woman Soon

An Upside to This Year's Movies

Life doesn't come with an instruction manual or a script to follow, it's basically improv on a daily basis, and as it plays out people and things often are not who or what they seem to be on the surface. It's reality, as opposed to the way you expect, hope or want it all to be; truth, as opposed to an individual perception of truth. That's life. And "The Upside of Anger," written and directed by Mike Binder, explores some hard realities that differ drastically from expectations and perceptions.

The film opens with a funeral, a somber note which in a sense prepares you for what is to follow, after a flash back of three years, at which point the story begins. Terry Wolfmeyer (Joan Allen) is at loose ends because her husband has run off with his secretary, leaving her and four daughters behind to fend for themselves. Angry, distraught and a stone's throw from bitter, Terry turns to alcohol to deaden the effects of what has been a life-altering experience. Luckily-- or maybe not-- Terry has a neighbor, Denny Davies (Kevin Costner), an ex-pro baseball player turned radio talk show host, with whom to share a drink and commiserate. Her daughters (three teens and one in college) are supportive, as well-- to a point. But they are each in their own way also struggling to understand why their father deserted them. By all accounts, this was in no way a dysfunctional, angst-ridden family, so the actions of their father is a mystery to them all. Naturally, it's a pivotal point in their lives, and before any of them can move on, especially Terry, they have to know why he did what he did. In the meantime, with or without this needed closure, life is happening to and around them.

Binder (who also appears in the film as the producer of Denny's radio show) displays an astute knowledge of human nature with this film, and how random the myriad twists and turns of life can be. He holds your attention from the opening scene (who's funeral is it, anyway?), and just when you think you know where the story is going it takes an unexpected turn. And he is in no way attempting to manipulate his audience; rather, he is giving you a reflection of the way life so often simply does not go the way you think it's going to. It's a succinct look at relationships, and of how fragile-- as well as resilient-- we all can be.

As Terry, Joan Allen sets vanity aside to create her character and turns in an Oscar caliber performance in doing so. When she gets up in the morning she looks like a middle-aged woman with insufferable problems and a hangover, a woman in the throes of coping with a traumatic experience who is desperate to reconnect with a life she no longer has and who will do anything within her power to hang on to what she has left. She's walking a tightrope over a deep abyss and she's understandably on edge, so when one of her girls tugs the rope and compromises her control and security, she quite naturally lashes out, proving the old adage you always hurt the one you love. There's a scene in which a grieving Terry draws her hands to her breast and, head lowered, utters a cry, and anyone who has ever known any kind of grief or loss in their life will at that moment know exactly what she is going through. It's a terrific piece of acting, a performance that is altogether affecting and memorable.

And, as performances go, Kevin Costner, too, puts vanity aside to create a character that is entirely convincing. Denny Davies is paunchy, his hair is thin and most of the time he looks as though he's had one beer too many. Still, he's engaging, and you get the feeling there's a complex individual hiding behind an external simplicity that perhaps helps to mask his true feelings about a lot of things in his life, including his career on the diamond. Why, for example, does he refuse to talk about baseball on his sports talk show? In it's purity, this is arguably Costner's finest performance ever.

Top notch performances are turned in, as well, by Erika Christensen, Evan Rachel Wood, Keri Russell and Alicia Witt as Terry's daughters, respectively, Andy, Popeye, Emily and Hadley; and by Binder himself as Shep. In the end, "The Upside of Anger" is an involving, memorable film that celebrates life and leaves you with a sense of hope, that no matter how bad things get we all have the capacity to get through it and somehow find the light at the end of the tunnel. And that's the magic of the movies.