... Without anything further, we've established that Punch-Drunk Love does not conform to the usual romantic comedy cliches.
To describe this film in a way that demonstrates the tone without giving too much away is a more difficult task than one would think. I suspect this is largely to the ... Read review
A 97-minute Paul Thomas Anderson picture,Punch-Drunk Loveconcentrates on a tight little ... more
story that might have made a subplot for earlier PTA epics such asBoogie NightsorMagnolia. Adam Sandler has a break-out art film lead not by abandoning his usual pe...
Postage & Packaging: £1.21 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
A 97-minute Paul Thomas Anderson picture,Punch-Drunk Loveconcentrates on a tight little ... more
story that might have made a subplot for earlier PTA epics such asBoogie NightsorMagnolia. Adam Sandler has a break-out art film lead not by abandoning his usual pe...
Postage & Packaging: £1.21 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
Winner of the Best Director Prize at the 2002 Cannes Film Festival, this misfit love story ... more
of disconnected people trying to find one another in an antagonistic world is a comedy of discomfort and rage that turns unexpectedly sweet and pure. Adam Sandler gives an amazing and unusual performance asBarry Egan, a socially impaired owner of a small novelty business, who is dominated by seven sisters and is unlikely to find love unless it finds him. When a mysterious woman comes into his life, hisemotions go haywire, fluctuating between uncontrollable rage, lust and self-doubt. Punch-Drunk Love leaves you addled, a little dizzy and overcome by a pleasing, unplaceable sensation. A romantic comedy as wonderful as it is strange that expands the genre to its absurdist outer limits and makes us believe. From the writer/director of Boogie Nights and Magnolia, Punch-Drunk Love is a dark, lovely and unique film experience.
Production Year: 1995 - Drama - Director: Ang Lee - Original Language: English - Classification: Universal - Starring: Emma Thompson, Alan Rickman, Kate Winslet, Hugh Grant, Greg Wise, Hugh Laurie, Robert Hardy
Production Year: 2004 - Drama - Director: Nick Cassavetes - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over, 12 years and over - Starring: Rachel McAdams, Ryan Gosling, Gena Rowlands
Production Year: 1995 - Drama - Director: Ang Lee - Original Language: English - Classification: Universal - Starring: Emma Thompson, Alan Rickman, Kate Winslet, Hugh Grant, Greg Wise, Hugh Laurie, Robert Hardy
Drama - Original Language: English - Classification: 12 years and over - Starring: Shelagh Fraser, Barbara Flynn, Keith Drinkel, Felicity Kendal, Pam Ferris, Colin Douglas
Advantages: Unique, establishes Sandler, mildly heartwarming. Disadvantages: A little too quirky at times.
...anything further, we've established that Punch-Drunk Love does not conform to the usual romantic comedy cliches.
To describe this film in a way that demonstrates the tone without giving too much away is a more difficult task than one would think. I suspect this is largely to the film being so different to other films of it's nature. Barry Egan (Adam Sandler) is a mild-mannered manager at a novelty toilet plunger company whose life ... ...
To say that Punch-Drunk Love is strange is to put it mildly. If one thought Paul Thomas Anderson's previous film, Magnolia, was quirky enough, this pushes well beyond the levels set in that film. Despite this though, it's actually a much simpler film. Strip away the offbeat elements and you're left with a simple tale of two lonely and wounded people falling in love. In the hands of another filmmaker, this could have been a disaster, but Anderson ... more
"I'm lookin' at your face and I just wanna smash it. I just wanna fuckin' smash it with a sledgehammer. You're so pretty."
So says Barry to Lena at one particularly tender point in their relationship. Without anything further, we've established that Punch-Drunk Love does not conform to the usual romantic comedy cliches.
To describe this film in a way that demonstrates the tone without giving too much away is a more difficult task than one would think. I suspect this is largely to the film being so different to other films of it's nature. Barry Egan (Adam Sandler) is a mild-mannered manager at a novelty toilet plunger company whose life is constantly intruded upon by his seven sisters. He's also prone to somewhat violent outbursts, although I should point out that these are never against people (he doesn't have that in him) but rather objects around him. Yet other times becomes very emotional on his own, at one point explaining "I cry sometimes and I don't know why". This is just the setup for his initial meeting with Lena (Emily Watson), whom one of his sisters introduces to him in an attempt to hook them up. Their relationship, against all logical thought, blossoms, and Barry slowly turns into a different, much more confident person. All of this is also occuring while Barry is involved in a feud with a phone sex operator (Philip Seymour Hoffman), finds a small piano in the street, which he learns to play, and abuses a free air miles scheme from Healthy Choice products.
To say that Punch-Drunk Love is strange is to put it mildly. If one thought Paul Thomas Anderson's previous film, Magnolia, was quirky enough, this pushes well beyond the levels set in that film. Despite this though, it's actually a much simpler film. Strip away the offbeat elements and you're left with a simple tale of two lonely and wounded people falling in love. In the hands of another filmmaker, this could have been a disaster, but Anderson directs with a confidence that we come to expect, leaving him with his strongest film so far.
The thing I found most interesting about the film though was Adam Sandler and his portrayal of Barry Egan. I'm not a fan of Adam Sandler films, largely because I don't find his particular brand of humor particularly funny. Paul Thomas Anderson was the only reason that I gave Punch-Drunk Love a chance, as in the hands of most others, I probably would have run a mile. However, while this is a dramatic breakthrough for Sandler, in that he actually gets to play something with a little more depth, at base level he is still playing the same character that he always did. He's still the wounded man-boy who comes good that he always plays. The difference here is that it's in the context of a much more interesting story, rather than whatever settles for lowest common denominator humor.
While Barry is an interesting character, the role of Lena often seems to be overlooked in many reviews. Personally I found her character just as interesting, if not moreso, than that of Barry. This is partly down to Emily Watson's superbly subtle performance, and partly thanks to how much is left open for us to wonder about her character. She is the one who pursues Barry for a relationship when there appears to be no real reason to. Why doesn't she seem the slightest bit concerned when Barry travels to Hawaii in search of her after just one date? Why does she happily continue a day after being thrown out of a restaurant as if it happens all the time? These things intrigued me, and gave her a certain depth that seems to be lacking in most of the "girlfriend" type roles that exist.
Style wise is where the film hits its only minor flaws. Anderson uses a set of extremely bright psychadelic color cards between scenes that will often be jarring. Although one becomes used to this by the end of the film, at the start they are very distracting, and appear to serve no purpose at all. Secondly is the use of the soundtrack. While the music and songs used in the film are not a problem, in fact many of them are perfect, a lot of the time they are used too intrusively, to the point where they overpowering the other elements of the film, or continue on long after their welcome has expired.
These problems aside though, Punch-Drunk Love is an excellent film, although your enjoyment on it will depend on how much you can take in the quirk department. Personally I love films that throw things at me that I couldn't expect, but unfortunately I appear to be in a minority in this regard, most seemingly happy to settle for the same derivitive nonsense repeatedly. Adam Sandler fans should be careful too, as this certainly isn't the kind of film that stacks up well against his typical fare. Beyond that though, Punch-Drunk Love is a unique, touching, off-beat love story, and should certainly be given a chance.
Advantages: Adam Sandler is much better than you might expect... Disadvantages: ... but that's not really saying much
It’ll be ok! – they said. It won’t be like any other Adam Sandler movie! But he’s the star, I said – what will it be like?
It’ll be great! Touching, sweet, quirky and downright weird. Treat yourself!
Ok, so having read the reviews I was pretty excited to see this film. It does contain the cinematic equivalent of marzipan in the form of the dreaded Adam Sandler, but all the signs were that this was groundbreaking new stuff. And in a way I suppose ... ...called Barry Egan. Barry runs a company that sells novelty toilet plungers, and that just about sums up his life. He’s painfully awkward, nervous, sexually frustrated and totally under the control of his overbearing sisters – all seven of ‘em.
In an attempt to make conversation with a woman, Barry calls up a phone sex line, where he befriends the lovely Georgia. But Georgia isn’t all she seems, and pretty soon our hero is being blackmailed over ...
ShoppingGirl 19.02.2003 (03.04.2003)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Punch-Drunk Love (DVD)
Advantages: Refreshingly original comedy that is unafraid to baffle its audience. Disadvantages: People that whine 'I don't like Adam Sandler'. The fact that not many people will have heard of this or want to see it.
It didn’t really have a chance did it? It bombed in America, the one place where Adam Sandler is well known and then it received virtually no publicity over here because the marketing team thought everyone would hate it. Although, Punch Drunk Love isn’t exactly what you’d call a commercially promising movie seeing as a) it stars Adam Sandler, b) it’s a deep, multilayered film that requires intelligence to watch and c) it’s rated 15, alienating most ... ...Sandler comedy. The only disappointment with this film is that it contains Adam Sandlers best ever performance but has such limited appeal that it will surely be swallowed up by negativity. Despite negative reviews from people who hate Sandler or just didn’t understand it, Punch Drunk Love is a wonderful, intricate and complex film that recalls the best work of the Coen brothers and combines it with the brilliance of Boogie Nights and Magnolia.
...
willgould 20.02.2003
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Punch-Drunk Love (DVD)
Advantages: Adam Sandler is a revelation Disadvantages: None for me. Some might find it on the slow side.
The first thing I've got to say is, don't believe the categorisation. I know it's under "Comedies" here, but it's not exactly what you might be expecting from other movies in that genre.
Having said that, I wouldn't even like to suggest where it should be classified. Is there a "wierd indie throw-your-preconceptions-out-the-window" category?
No, thought not.
Alright, on with the review...
I am not exactly a fan of Adam Sandler - I’d never ... ...Wedding Singer, the Water boy - I found neither of them funny or enjoyable, and I have to say I even found the characters he played rather irritating. I’d had this idea that Sandler was the kind of actor young teenage boys might like, and that I should avoid his films at all costs.
But… The reviews of "Punch drunk love" were all warning us (for the Sandler fans, no doubt) that he was quite different in this movie.
So I went to see it.
...
rsmith 01.04.2004
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Punch-Drunk Love (DVD)
Advantages: PAUL ANDERSONS THE MAN! Disadvantages: NOT EVERYONE LIKES HIM!
Enter the world, if you will, of Andersons 2002 offering ‘Punch-Drunk Love’.
Starring in lead roles are the annoyingly likeable Adam Sandler with the accomplished Emily Watson. Support coming from Mary Lynn Rajskub (24), Philip Seymour Hoffman (Mission Impossible 3) and his regular on screen sidekick Luis Guzman (Boogie Nights).
Sandler plays the part of Barry Egan, an emotionally crippled man; suffering with malfunctioning self control circuits ... ...overbearing sisters escalating his inner turmoil as they uninvitingly lavish their hard edged concern upon him. Straight forward enough, even when a phone-sex call going awry is thrown into the intriguing mix. It really is a simple storyline, twisted awkwardly by Andersons vision. When Sandler was asked about his role in this film, he told of a gruelling daily routine, with many hoops of mayhem to bounce through being provided for him at every opportunity. ...
ANTACID 14.05.2007
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Punch-Drunk Love (DVD)
Advantages: It's very touching and romantic.Depicts the excruciating aspects of family life & funny in parts. Disadvantages: A bit slow moving and dull at times.
...was hating it. Punch-Drunk love really is a good title for this movie because it kind of deals with those feelings of violence that are sometimes expressions of love and romance. The best example I can come up with is 'I love you so much I could eat you/I love you so much I could squash you'. But for me the title also pretty much summed up the feeling that the whole movie gave me. It was agonisingly slow at times (deliberately I think) and at other ... ...happens in the movie because it really isn't the most impressive plot but I will say that it is romantic in some bits and really funny at others (although I dont know if this was only because of the slow dull contrast of the other parts of the movie). Although I didnt feel as though I easily loved it, I felt that I really wanted to. I was a bit reluctant to say that I didnt because something about this movie makes you feel as though some really pretensious ...
SpookyMoon 29.05.2009
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Punch-Drunk Love (DVD)
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Professional reviews
Review
"...Quietly sweet, even resonant....The most sincere and artful movie in which Adam Sandler will probably ever appear..." (Entertainment Weekly, p.87-8, 18/10/2002)
"...[A] daring high-wire act....Unexpectedly sweet and pure..." (Los Angeles Times, p.C1, 11/10/2002)
"...A marvel of pure emotion that links the rage inherent in the films of both Sandler and Anderson. Sandler can act, beautifully. That's that..." (Rolling Stone, p.114, 19/10/2002)
"...Anderson remains one of the great visionaries of suburban Southern California..." (Sight and Sound, p.28-58, 01/02/2003)
"...A must-see Adam Sandler movie..." (Total Film, p.100, 01/03/2003)
"...It proves that Sandler has talent....PUNCH-DRUNK LOVE is never heavy-handed. The jabs it employs are short, carefully placed and dead-center..." (USA Today, p.1E, 11/10/2002)
DVD Description
Paul Thomas Anderson follows 1999's MAGNOLIA with the intensely compelling character study PUNCH-DRUNK LOVE. Barry Egan (Adam Sandler) is a quiet, shy, socially awkward man with an office in an out-of-the-way warehouse. He is dedicated to his job as a wholesale toilet plunger salesman, he keeps a nice apartment, and he is obsessed with special offers on grocery store products. Barry's latest fixation is on frequent flier miles included with the purchase of Healthy Choice foods. Barry wears a bright blue suit, though he doesn't know why. With seven outspoken sisters, he is constantly being nagged, questioned, and berated. He is challenged to explain the reasons for his actions, and it eventually becomes clear that Barry cannot control his often-violent impulses, a trait which is increasingly problematic. When a beautiful woman, Lena Leonard (Emily Watson), walks into his life with an instinctive attraction to him, a nonjudgmental attitude, and unconditional love, Barry undergoes a powerful transformation. Anderson's film is a tour-de-force for which he garnered the Best Director award at Cannes 2002. Set primarily in Los Angeles and Utah, he shoots either bleak deserted spaces (apartment building hallways) or lush, exotic paradises (Hawaii). Aiming for a Technicolor look, the blue of Barry's suit in contrast with Lena's solid pinks, reds, and whites, pops off of the screen. Colorful interludes designed by visual artist Jeremy Blake offer hallucinogenic lapses from the action of the film, while the rapid percussive score by Jon Brion keeps the suspense and the emotional exasperation of the film on a constantly high level.
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