Rating of
3/4
Punch Drunk Love review
Daniel Corleone - wrote on 12/15/12
If your into strange love stores with a crime story, this may appeal to you. A weird lonely business owner named Barry Egan (Adam Sandler) encounters a car crash wherein a mysterious harmonium was left on the street and meets Lena Leonard (Emily Watson). Barry tries to earn a million frequent flyer miles from a marketing glitch and calls a phone sex hotline for conversation. Dean Trumbell (Philip Seymour Hoffman), owner of a mattress store, is the Supervisor of "Georgia," the girl who wanted Barry's financial help.
Soundtrack was quite hypnotic much like Drive (2011). This film is admired by Judd Apatow since it clearly shows some dark humor. Pacing somewhat slow in the beginning then picks-up when trouble with the credit card/phone sex girl arises. Another baffling scene wherein Barry had the ability to travel back and forth to Hawaii and Utah while leaving his business. It was nice seeing a different Adam Sandler, which shows glimpses of acting talent in the drama side. As always, Philip Seymour Hoffman delivers while Guzman and Watson effective support. Other than that, it shows flawed figures intertwined to tell a story. Direction was fantastic coming from Anderson. Screenplay one of its strong-points with quotes: "I have a love in my life, It makes me stronger than anything you can imagine." from Barry and "People are just crazy in this world, I think." Punch Drunk Love may not be the director's best, it's still entertaining despite some of its impossibilities.
