Review of Punch-Drunk Love (2002) by Dan G — 30 Aug 2012

Paul Thomas Anderson is an accomplished writer and director. He has been responsible for epics such as There Will Be Blood, and Magnolia. He gets great performances out of everyone he directs, and uses recurring actors such as Philip Seymour Hoffman to develop fascinating characters. Punch-Drunk Love doesn't reach the same heights. It was done years before his other successes, so grace can be given. It's a clever script with a fun premise, but the casting of Adam Sandler, and especially Emily Watson was a disaster! The chemistry wasn't there, and Sandler's annoying habit of being a social disaster in every film gets old. He should do more drama, he's good at it, but this wasn't his part.

As for the rest of the film, the script was very good. The improvisation was enjoyable, and the characters decently well developed. It was just too short, and cast wrong.