Review of Punch-Drunk Love (2002) by Shane D — 27 Aug 2011

After close to 12 years since having seen this first, I eventually got around to watching it again. Spurred on by an affinity for the soundtrack scores of Jon Brion and a sympathetic feeling towards Adam Sandler despite himself, this worked its way to the top of my viewing pile.

Often looked at as Adam Sandlerâ(TM)s finest moment, or cited by many cinema snobs as the only thing they have been able to bring themselves to admit to having seen him in, I remembered this film being a lot uglier than it was on a repeat viewing.

I seemed to recall it being less of a happy story but it is actually a really sweet, if improbable love story. Some of the moments between Sandler and his sisters are just painful to witness. Sandler without the pratfalls and outlandish devices of his normal fare, stripped back, without the humour, is tailor made for him.

All of his characters display the same vunerable, beaten down trademarks displayed in Punch Drunk Love, except they all have the ability to crack a joke or at the very least deliver some comeuppance. Is it his best performance, yes probably, but the subject matter allows him the room to do more than pull funny faces.

In a lot of ways its a shame he doesnâ(TM)t make more of these kinds of films and follow in the footsteps of Carrey or Farrell. PT Anderson also does a brilliant job, as always.