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Cast: Adam Sandler, Emily Watson, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Mary Lynn
Rajskub, Luis Guzman
As is often the
case with twenty/thirty-something directors of this generation, Paul
Thomas Anderson deserves to be placed in a category all his own. Wes
Anderson (no relation) pioneered the ‘bizarre high school misfit
struggles within society of tight knit oddballs’ genre. Former
music video director Spike Jonze found fame Being John Malkovich (need
I say more). Wife Sofia Coppola carved her niche exposing the warped
cultish behaviors of a group of blond sisters in The Virgin Suicides.
Each director offers a unique perspective, presented in ways visually
accessible, especially to a generation of viewers formerly known as
“X”; a generation without identity, without direction and
completely indefinable. P.T. Anderson, like most of the aforementioned
filmmakers, found within this “X” taxonomy, a structured way
of presenting to us those themes he has deemed important to our plight
as human beings. And, like these filmmakers, he has both succeed and
faltered in his attempts.
Punch-Drunk Love succeeds as a strange visit with a mediocrity
that really isn’t so mediocre. Adam Sandler plays Barry Egan, a
sensitive introvert who makes his money selling themed toilet plungers
and is constantly bombarded by his dismissive, verbally abusive sisters.
The chain of events unfolds thus: Barry absconds with a tiny piano left
on the street in front of his office, develops a plan to use Healthy
Choice pudding as a means of collecting frequent flyer miles, finds
himself in physical and financial danger after a phone sex call turns
ugly, and, to round everything off, is pursued by a sweet, interesting
woman named Lena Leonard (Emily Watson).
Plot: strange. But, not strange for strange sake. Anderson is able to
highlight situations that should feel very familiar to us: family tortures,
financial foibles, etc. Though we may never have partaken of a knock
down, drag out fight with a phone sex provider, we have felt the frustration
of being cheated.
The puerile depths to which people can sink over money are highlighted
in one particularly funny scene. Barry tracks down phone pimp (and mattress
salesman) Dean Trumbell (Philip Seymour Hoffman) in Utah. Barry orders
Trumbell to quit draining his bank account and to call off his blond
goons. Face to face with Barry, Trumbell responds with what is tantamount
to a “Well, fine, then. I will!” As Barry makes his way out
the door, Trumbell (who can’t bear not having the upper hand) shouts
“So, get the f—k outta here, already!” The scene is a
hilarious back and forth that ultimately boils down to an exchange worthy
of a pair of ten year old boys with injured prides.
Anderson’s symbolic imagery, while plain, also takes effect. Barry
awkwardly acquires a relationship with a persistent Lena. Similarly,
he toys with the keys of his new found piano. Both are basically left
on his doorstep and he is unsure about what to do with either of them.
Eventually, he figures it out and music, as well as love, become part
of his life.
Adam Sandler fits in brilliantly with the usual “P.T. (Paul Thomas)
Posse” (Philip Seymour Hoffman and Luis Guzman). Even though a
Tom Hanks-size leap from comedy to drama is unlikely for Sandler, he
is a competent actor with an obvious future in “dramedies”
of this kind.
As James Lipton would categorize it, Punch-Drunk Love is “a
delight.” As Will Ferrell would categorize it, while imitating
an over exuberant Lipton, Punch is “scrumtrilescent.”
In my opinion, the film’s charm resides somewhere in between these
two extremes.
-Roxbusters, 10/14/02
On a four horn scale,
Punch-Drunk Love receives 2 3ž4 horns.
Editors note
- This is my favorite movie of the year, I would have given it five
horns on the four horn scale. Peter
Copyright 2002,
Roxbusters.com.
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