PUNCH-DRUNK LOVE
US, 2002, 91 minutes, Colour.
Adam Sandler, Emily Watson, Luis Guzman, Philip Seymour Hoffmann.
Directed by Paul Thomas Anderson.
'UnAmerican' used to be a hostile word in the 40s and 50s to describe attitudes and actions which were thought to undermine society. It is now a good word to describe Paul Thomas Anderson's films (Hard Eight, Boogie Nights, Magnolia) because they are not in the Hollywood style (even with a happy Hollywood ending) and could undermine what Hollywood expects of a romantic comedy. This is 90 minutes of how Barry fell in love with Lena. It is also the story of awkward, socially inept, put-upon Barry whose low self-image leads him to ring a sex phone service where he gets more than he bargained for from a pack of violent cons. Anderson wrote the screenplay for Adam Sandler, usually a vacant and inept comic character, who shows that he could do a transition from dumb and dumber comedies to serious roles like Jim Carrey. Definitely idiosyncratic.
1. An American comedy - in a not-American style? More European? Offbeat and idiosyncratic? The effect on the popular audience?
2. Adam Sandler and his career, expectations of him in a comedy? Deadpan style, nerdish? Meeting Paul Thomas Anderson with his curriculum of films? A satisfactory combination with Anderson using Sandler's talents for more serious and effective purposes?
3. The Los Angeles settings: the warehouse and the streets? The supermarkets and the apartments? The contrast with Hawaii and its landscapes, the streets and the hotels? Utah?
4. The importance of the sound design of the film: the cars and the sudden crashes, the incessant talk, the music and its pounding style? An atmosphere of cacophony in Los Angeles? In the streets of Hawaii? Part of Barry feeling punch-drunk by the environment in which he lived?
5. The visual style of the film, camera angles and perspectives? Editing? The colour palettes to mark the transitions in the plot?
6. Adam Sandler as Barry Egan? His appearance, screen presence, facial expressions - and lack of them? Manner of speaking? Awkward, shy, introverted? Put down by people? The phone calls that he made, especially about the Frequent Flyer points? His desk, his busier office? Arriving early at work? The sudden crash in the street? The piano left at the side of the road and his later taking it an putting it in his office, getting it to work, playing it? Lena arriving and her wanting to leave her car? Lance and his coming to work, his friendship with Barry, the other members of the firm coming to work? The film situating Barry in his environment?
7. At work, the deals on the phone, the broken implement? Going to the supermarket and buying the puddings? Searching for the health foods and the points for Frequent Flyers? Phones and sales, his sisters incessantly ringing him and checking whether he was going to the party? Their reactions on the phone? His wearing a suit, going to the party? The sisters all talking about him, the jokes about Gay Boy? His incessantly being picked on, his sudden fury and breaking the glass panels? Asking his brother-in-law, the dentist, about a psychiatrist, his tears? Secrecy - and the dentist telling his wife and she confronting Barry?
8. This is the context for his call to the sex line? The comedy about wanting all he personal details, credit card numbers, social security etc? Georgia and the parody of the sex line operator, the sexual talk, the contrast with Barry's responses? Her ringing the next morning, the incessant calls, putting pressure on Barry, his anger, stopping his credit card, her demanding money?
9. The contrast with Utah, the girl and her discussions with Dean, hooking Barry and wanting to get the money from him? The brothers, their driving to Los Angeles, forcing Barry to get the $500 out of his bank account? His explaining that he wasn't rich?
10. Lena and her friendship with Barry's sister, nice, leaving the car, wanting to go out with him, telling the truth about her organising to meet him? His reaction in the restaurant, suddenly going and smashing the toilet? Being ousted from the restaurant? Going to Lena's apartment, his anger in leaving, her phone call and his return, the kiss? His decision to go to Hawaii - and trying to redeem his Frequent Flyer points but having to wait six or eight weeks? Nervousness on the plane? In Hawaii, the noise in the street, the phone calls, suspicions about Lena, meeting her, the dinner, sharing stories, going to her room, falling in love?
11. The brothers pursuing Barry in their car in Los Angeles, the crash? Lena going to hospital, the tests, Barry disappearing? Going to Utah, confronting Dean and the girl, Dean having a haircut, the potentially violent confrontation but solely a war of words and satisfaction?
12. Barry's return to Los Angeles, apologising to Lena - and the satisfactory Hollywood happy ending?
13. The picture of the American male, put down and having to cope, the possibilities for success, gauche in his manner, victim of the sex operators and the conmen? Finding redemption through love?
