Goodness, this is no "Wedding Singer!" And it's
about 4 football fields away from being a "Waterboy!"
If you're an Adam Sandler fan, expecting the same
silly shtick (like me!), my recommendation is a pass
on this odd little film.
Speaking of odd, not only am I a big Sandler fan,
but Paul Thomas Anderson (writer/director) blew me
away with his "Magnolia." With such
an "odd" pairing, I eagerly anticipated "Punch Drunk
Love." Then, for some reason, I simply forgot about
the director and expected a slapstickin', good ol'
Sandler picture. Instead, I witnessed a foreign film
made right here in the USA. "Punch Drunk" is a little
Woody Allen, a little David Lynch, a little French, a
little artsy, a dash Sandler and Emily Watson.
Sandler plays a self-employed eccentric/phobic
single guy whose sometimes-violent idiosyncrasies may
have likely been caused by his seven prodding
sisters. Plagued by bureaucracy and a
cruel-intentioned phone-sex staff, Sandler teeters on
the edge of sanity while possibly falling for
innocent-eyed Emily Watson.
At times queerly adorable, at times clanging and
annoying, awkwardly comedic, this is not a laugh out
loud comedy, though you might laugh out loud a few
times. The humor is subtle and plays second fiddle to
the artsy ambiance. A few interesting story lines
take to screen, but even fewer are developed to
fruition, making "Punch Drunk Love" feel more like a
slice of life film or ... a toy.
Notes: Paul Thomas optioned the rights to real
life "Pudding Guy" David Phillips' story. Phillips
accumulated 1.25 million miles by purchasing 12,150
cups of Healthy Choice pudding for a mere $3000. A
Sandler fan himself, Paul tailored the script for
Adam.
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