Had it been released last year, the compellingly interesting and often funny The Upside Of Anger would have caused considerable grief to some Oscar-nominated films.

On second thought, the movie -- about a dysfunctional family -- might have even knocked off one or two acting nominees, perhaps Annette Bening [Images], from the list.

Here is hoping that nine months from now, Oscar voters will remember this film, and the formidable Joan Allen, who gives one of the most mercurial performances in recent years, and certainly the best of her career.

She has been nominated for the Oscar three times, including for her work in the political thriller The Contender. And Allen startles us with her talent once again.

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Handling a gamut of emotions ranging from increasing fear to heightening nervousness, from steadily brewing anger at her daughter's rebelliousness and relentless fury at her husband's actions, Allen makes the film her own in no time.

Her spontaneous performance, along with expert help from others in the cast, helps us really care about the people. Here is an often touching and occasionally disturbing film that makes us think of real family values and the relationships that make us better humans.

Even Kevin Costner, whose professional obituary was written several years ago by cynical journalists, turns in a decent performance. This could be his second film in a row -- following Open Range, which he also directed two years ago and saw it earn a pleasing $105 million worldwide -- to be a success in recent years.

While there is more than the distant Oscar hope for the new film that cost about $18 million, it should also carry the hope of becoming a sleeper hit.

While it expands to more cities from its current New York and Los Angeles showing, one hops movie buffs will welcome it as a mature, assured, moving and often funny melodrama.

Writer, actor and director Mike Bender sends out yet another message that you don't need a huge budget to make a decent film. Last year, low and medium-budget films such as Sideways, Million Dollar Baby and Finding Neverland held most of discerning movie fans' attention. This year, the journey has started with The Upside of Anger.

Binder, whose previous films as a director and actor include the little seen Sex Monster, has made a surprisingly strong and passionate film. He never goes overboard with any of the film's major themes, including alcoholism and parental non-communication. He finds humor even in the more difficult situations in the movie.

Terry Wolfmeyer (Allen) plays the mother of four daughters who does not know how to handle her husband's disappearance. At one moment, assuming he has eloped with his secretary, she is drinking herself silly, and the next moment, she wants to destroy his clothes or anything connected with him.

Terry finds in her neighbor Denny an unexpected ally. Paunchy and grizzled, Denny, a former basketball player, emerges as a character with some warmth, and Costner does justice to the part.

Under the spell of alcohol, Terry and Denny come together, and though one expects the two to fall in love, Binder still invests the relationship with certain amount of surprises and complications.

Slowly Denny also become a father figure to the girls who have their own complications and are not fully ready to share them with their mother.

Hadley (Alicia Witt [Images]) has decided, even before her graduation that she is getting married -- she seems to have a secret or two that she isn't telling her mother. Emily (Keri Russell), a ballet dancer, is going to join an arts college but is eaten up by the suspicion that her mother disapproves of her. Andy (Erika Christensen) wants to start working as a reporter and wants to do so without going to college. Her life becomes complicated when she is wooed by her radio station producer (Bender) who is twice her age (at least) and is a shameless predator. The baby of the family, called Popeye (Evan Rachel Wood), is planning a documentary on anger and is frustrated she cannot have a young man of her dreams.

It is difficult to single out who is the best of the four radiant young performers, but I am partial to Wood.