review by FilmApe Pro
Punch-Drunk Love 2002
Rewatched May 11, 2012
FilmApe’s review:
Adam Sandler brings the thunder and then some in this movie. All of his awkward mannerisms and little quirks are wholly unique to this one performance, and for that reason I can never disparage Mr. Sandler. He wears the blue suit like a champion, and the scene where he does a little soft-shoe down the grocery aisle is perfect.
As for the technical aspects of the film, cinematographer Robert Elswit is an insane genius. The movement of the camera is at times off putting, but always extremely calculated. Couple the movements of the camera with the almost constant score, and the result is a film with an absolutely insane pace.
Looking at Paul Thomas Anderson's filmography, this is second only to There Will Be Blood.
It's been quite a while and I've only watched it once. Feel like I might love it even more than I did first time. For me Boogie Nights is still his second best but I agree completely about TWBB being his best. Masterpiece, if ever I saw one. I'm curious, how would you rank his films?
I'd rank Boogie Nights 1st, well above everything else, including TWBB.
This is actually probably my least favorite film of his but I remember liking it a lot. I need to rewatch this soon. Is this the first time you've seen this?
1. There Will Be Blood
2. Punch Drunk Love
3. Magnolia
4. Hard Eight
5. Boogie Nights
I love specific moments in Boogie Nights, but as a whole it doesn't do much for me. Hard Eight is a solid film, but it does seem like the work of an inexperienced director. Magnolia is a fantastic movie, but as it is so long, it isn't exactly a film I can throw on at anytime. Punch Drunk Love is a entirely unique film that I love to get into.
Punch-Drunk Love is also a pretty interesting bridge between PTA's earlier work and There Will Be Blood. Both films deal with main protagonists who are isolated from everyone around them. Both characters have serious anger inside of them, and both characters seem to be unable to handle any real relationships. Punch-Drunk Love though shows the main character making a choice to improve his life, while There Will Be Blood shows a main character who is unwilling to change.
You're making me want to rewacth Punch-Drunk Love soon.
I love Punch-Drunk Love. The quirky overall strangeness of Adam Sandlers character just cracked me up. I would rank Anderson's work the same as FilmApe minus Hard Eight because I haven't seen it yet.