Review of Punch-Drunk Love (2002) by Viet Phuong N — 26 Jul 2014

As much as I love PTA's works, as quick as I felt bored with this film. Also a depiction of a vulnerable male full of internal conflicts, the Coen-ish approach of this film (sorry, my idol PTA), alongside with the very good but somehow off-note music, made me feel really uncomfortable watching Adam Sandler trying so hard almost he failed in covering his vulnerability by his clumsiness, ridiculousness and sometime his extreme anger.

The problem with Sandler is that he had been (up to the time this film was made) so impressive at pure comedy that he seemed to be unable to drive away his comedic charisma from this should-have-been multifaceted character.

I understand that after the heavy Magnolia (one of my all-time-favourites), PTA preferred a light(er) touch on his never-ending quest of depicting humanity and the vulnerability of manliness, but the mixture of comedy and drama in this film really confused me to the point of numbness.