Punch Drunk Love

Punch Drunk Love is truly an interesting movie, with a strange musical score, a mix of genres, and psychologically messed up characters.

First off it’s hard to say what this movie really is. It is initially a character study of Barry, but then it begins to become more of a crime drama full of black mail and depression. The movie then takes a turn about midway through and becomes a sentimental love story. This aspect of the movie is what really makes the movie an achievement. We continually feel bad for Sandler’s character. His decisions throughout the movie, while not the brightest, are still justifiable in the real world.

The score also contributes to this. It changes throughout the story, but never stops and feels in sync with the story. The score never repeats itself and is new and fresh every time.

The plot of the film is essentially that a young man, Barry (Sandler), gets mixed up in a phone sex hotline. He is ashamed of his problems, but doesn't want to go to a psychiatrist, so he spends a night talking to someone on the hotline. They end up trying to black mail him for money and Barry’s life begins to crumble. However, he ends up meeting Lena (Emily Watson), a nice girl whom he falls in love with. The two aspects of the movie are juggled very well, and are switched between interchangeably.

The neatest part of the film is the way Paul Thomas Anderson (the director) shoots the movie. The camera never leaves the main character in question and it’s generally always moving. You can tell Anderson envisioned the way he’d shoot the movie in his mind when he wrote it because some of the scenes transcend very well on screen.

Overall the performances are nicely done, and to see Adam Sandler in a serious role is in its self a reason to see the movie. The multiple plays on genres, music, and filming all come together for a genuinely great film.
Grade—A-
By CJ Simonson