Long before the Safdie Brothers' \"Uncut Gems\" earned him serious awards buzz, Paul Thomas Anderson proved that Adam Sandler could be a great actor with \"Punch-Drunk Love.\" Sometimes, comedic actors choose deathly serious roles or make extreme physical transformations in order to be taken seriously. Here, though, Sandler is cast as a good-natured man-child in over his head, a role not dissimilar from those he frequently plays. It's Anderson's non-traditional approach to the material, which incorporates strange non sequiturs and philosophical ramblings, that makes \"Punch-Drunk Love\" different fromSandler's other romantic comedies.<\/p>\n
Sandler stars in \"Punch-Drunk Love\" as Barry Egan, a salesman whose life is dominated by his eccentric sisters and frequent bouts of rage. Unsatisfied with the direction of his career, Barry finds hope when a bizarre car accident inadvertently introduces him to Lena (Emily Watson), his sister's co-worker. Barry quickly becomes infatuated, and attempts to break free of his familial trauma in order to pursue a relationship.<\/p>\n
Anderson deconstructs Sandler's on-screen persona by giving reasons for Barry's erratic behavior. While \"Punch-Drunk Love\" contains many hilarious moments, including the now iconic phone conversation in which Barry is berated by the owner of a phone-sex line (Phillip Seymour Hoffman in a brief, but unforgettable, performance), Sandler is more vulnerable in this film than he's ever been. Anderson is rarely a sentimental filmmaker, but the genuine chemistry between Sandler andWatson make \"Punch-Drunk Love\" his most charming film to date.<\/p>\n
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More: Long before the Safdie Brothers' \"Uncut Gems\" earned him serious awards buzz, Paul Thomas Anderson proved that Adam Sandler could be a great actor with \"Punch-Drunk Love.\" Sometimes, comedic actors choose deathly serious roles or make extreme physical transformations in order to be taken seriously. Here, though, Sandler is cast as a good-natured man-child in over his head, a role not dissimilar from those he frequently plays. Continue reading
\nAll 8 Paul Thomas Anderson Feature Films Ranked Worst To Best - \/FILM<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"