Written and Directed by:  Paul Thomas Anderson
Starring:  Adam Sandler, Emily Watson, Luis Guzman, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Mary Lynn Rajskub
 

November 3, 2002

Next to Vincent Gallo's Buffalo '66, Punch-Drunk Love has got to be the weirdest romantic comedy to date, and by far Adam Sandler’s best film. Sandler plays Barry Egan, a slightly mental small business owner who has probably never had a date. When Barry gets upset, he likes to punch things; when he gets sad, he cries; and when he gets lonely, he calls 1-900 phone sex numbers. 

Just like in director Paul Thomas Anderson’s previous films, family plays a part in Barry’s life. He has seven sisters, who are all dominating and make fun of him. One of them, Elizabeth, introduces Barry to her friend Lena (Emily Watson). Lena is forward and gets Barry to go out with her. We learn she is divorced, but not much else. 

This is the one thing lacking in the film, Lena’s character just isn’t developed enough. We don’t learn why she puts up with all of Barry’s idiosyncrasies. But I guess in the end it really doesn’t matter because the story is about Barry—about Barry finding love and learning to place his anger where it belongs—and his character is so well developed it’s creepy. He gets himself into a nightmare we all would fear, but ironically one of his deficiencies—that of taking his anger out in the wrong places—is what saves him. 

The images in Punch-Drunk Love are amazing. The way the camera follows Anderson’s characters is very Kubrick-esque. The colors stand out, including Barry’s blue suit that he wears throughout. When asked about the blue suit during a Q & A after the centerpiece showing of his film at the New York Film Festival, Anderson said whenever he watched old MGM musicals, he always saw someone in a blue suit just like Barry’s. He went onto say, “If you’re going to make a movie about love, you gotta have cool colors.” 

Punch-Drunk Love is quirky, and despite the lack of motivation of Lena, the love interest, I find the images and scenes resonating in my mind. The more I think about this film, the more I really like it. It’s not one of those films you’ll walk out of and instantly love, but I am coming to appreciate it more and more. 

As for where it places in Paul Thomas Anderson’s films, the best new talent to come out of the 90’s since Tarantino, it’s closer to Hard Eight in terms of it’s scale than to Boogie Nights or Magnolia. This is a small sweet story about someone down on his luck finding love. While I think Anderson does better with a collage of characters, it’s nice to see him explore new avenues—the romantic comedy. 

This is also quite a departure for Sandler and he shows here that he has real talent. Sandler said that he just put his trust into Anderson’s hands, and when asked if he would continue to do something new, to do a departure from the Adam Sandler we know, he responded, “If it’s something I think I could be good at.” Well, he was good in Anderson’s hands, and hopefully now some more good directors will take note. 

Alternative Recommendations: Boogie Nights, Magnolia, Hard Eight, Buffalo '66, Breaking the Waves, The Talented Mr. Ripley, Eyes Wide Shut, Annie Hall 

  Outside Alice Tully Hall, before the NYFF Centerpiece Showing of Punch-Drunk Love

Check out these other Fidelio Film Reviews:
25th Hour
Eyes Wide Shut
Magnolia
The Talented Mr. Ripley