Punch-Drunk Love

Sometimes I look at a work of abstract art and simply wonder. I imagine the artist must have had some ideas or thoughts or feelings and projected them onto the canvas or maybe not. Maybe s/he just wanted us to wonder.

Thats the way I reacted to this film. It left me wondering. The title lists everything in the film for us. The protagonist turns his frustration into violent acts, the punch. His perception of reality and rationale for action is different from the norm, drunk. And this is all framed in a love story. The other character in the story is Barrys mind, portrayed on screen using colors and shapes . or is that something else?

In the opening scene, a harmonium is dropped from a passing van onto the street and you know immediately that this is not a normal story. Yet as different as it is, it is not a fantasy. It is a serious story from the point of view of Barry, the protagonist, in which he must make his way in the world aware that he is different.

Every one of us is unique and different in ways that we know about. We are proud of some and we hide others. Regardless we can conform in order to fit into normal life. But what if we were unable to conform? What then? And thats Barrys story.

Adam Sandler plays Barry Egan, a small businessman and the protagonist in this tale. Sandler began as a stand-up comedian, joined SNL (TV) and then moved into films. I had always associated him with some kind of silly film role. However, this is a serious role and I was impressed at how well he performed it. Sandler has most recently been in The Wedding Singer (1998) and Little Nicky (2000). He received $7M for this role.

Emily Watson plays Lena, Barrys love interest. She began her career with the Royal Shakespearean Company in London. Recent roles have been in Mill on the Floss (1997), Angelas Ashes (1999), The Luzhin Defence (2000) and Gosford Park (2001). Shes an accomplished actress and was back on stage in New York this year doing Shakespeares Twelfth Night.

Paul Thomas Anderson both wrote the screenplay and directed this film. He also directed Magnolia (1999) and Boogie Nights (1997).

Reviewed October 22, 2003