Punch-Drunk Love
5:38 pm
Original Date posted: Sun, 24 August 2003 01:19:22
Post:95 minutes. That is how long I have just spent watching Paul Thomas Anderson's Punch-Drunk love. The film stars Adam Sandler, Emily Watson and Philip Seymour Hoffman. I am a great fan of Anderson's work; Magnolia being one of my favourite movies. I am also a fan of Philip Seymour Hoffman; he has played so many roles and he has pulled them all off so superbly (e.g. Happiness, Almost Famous). It was these two factors that tempted me to watch this movie. Had it not been for them this delight would have never made itself known to me, I being a deep loather of most Adam Sandler movies; not because of Mr. Sandler but because of the type and style of movie he is usually in. Take for instance Little Nicky, Waterboy, Airheads and even Shakes the Clown - movies designed specifically so you dont have to think, don't have to feel; just laugh. I am not attracted to mainstream one liners and predictable plots - if I know how something works, how something will pan out, there are no surprises, there are no laughs and the movie is a waste of time. That said, Adam Sandler can make me laugh and his sarcastc voice is a plus (I think).
So, anyway, having previewed the movie at IMDB and duly noted the nice people involved, I decided to watch the movie when I had the chance. Going in with low expectations. I was hooked from the beginning, it must have been the whole randomness of the introduction (truck, topple, harpsicord, smashing, "I don't know if there is anything wrong because I don't know how other people are"). But whatever it was, I was intrigued and eager to know just what was going to happen; having no ideas of the actual plot to the movie.
The first thing I should mention is the art direction. It is simply supreme;
" In a grocery store scene, the items are stacked vertically by color (echoing the color bars that appear periodically between scenes), making the scene appear otherworldly. Other sets are bare of color or distinction. Sandler's love interest in the film (played by Emily Watson) lives in a maze of white corridors. Somehow, every "place" in the film has its own character and association. Even the characters become associated with particular colors"
All in all, the cinematrography is excellent and the same can be said for the use of light and colors.
Emily Watson who plays Sandler's love interest holds a seemingly magical and dream like quality. I felt drawn to her as Barry Egan was. Her appearance, actions, dialogue and mysterious character coupled with child-like good looks held me in a grasp similar to Egan's throughout the feature. Perfect.
I normally shy away from movies that clutter too much into a scene. Take for instance Brazil *shudders*. I hate it when I can't work out what is going on, when the noise gives you a headache and the camera keeps switching all over the place. There is a scene I would describe like this in PDL but it is in fact one of my favourite scenes in the movie;
"What about the great scene where Lena and Barry's sister enter his warehouse? The speed of the scene seems to increase almost out of control as his sister harps and leaves, then Lena gets involved in a conversation with him just as the phone sex operator continues to call and make threats, and with the forklift crashing...and Barry takes it all in stride. The scene overwhelms the audience...but Barry seems keyed in only on Lena while casually acknowledging all of the wild things going on around him...fantastic scene where even I felt out of breath!"
As for Barry, I felt for him and could often relate to his dilemas and opinions. When he got conned out of his cash I felt bad. When he pounded the blondes I felt good and when he fell in love, so too did I. It is movies like these that are simply above any other type of movie. I do not care if this movie is pretentious or too arty, has too many undeveloped plots or is too weird - It made me feel something, I got something out of the movie, and for that I am forever grateful. Not many movies can do that, but this one did. Sandler should take more challenging roles, Anderson should make more movies and people who have not seen this... should.
Im done. Fork in me stick.
Post:95 minutes. That is how long I have just spent watching Paul Thomas Anderson's Punch-Drunk love. The film stars Adam Sandler, Emily Watson and Philip Seymour Hoffman. I am a great fan of Anderson's work; Magnolia being one of my favourite movies. I am also a fan of Philip Seymour Hoffman; he has played so many roles and he has pulled them all off so superbly (e.g. Happiness, Almost Famous). It was these two factors that tempted me to watch this movie. Had it not been for them this delight would have never made itself known to me, I being a deep loather of most Adam Sandler movies; not because of Mr. Sandler but because of the type and style of movie he is usually in. Take for instance Little Nicky, Waterboy, Airheads and even Shakes the Clown - movies designed specifically so you dont have to think, don't have to feel; just laugh. I am not attracted to mainstream one liners and predictable plots - if I know how something works, how something will pan out, there are no surprises, there are no laughs and the movie is a waste of time. That said, Adam Sandler can make me laugh and his sarcastc voice is a plus (I think).
So, anyway, having previewed the movie at IMDB and duly noted the nice people involved, I decided to watch the movie when I had the chance. Going in with low expectations. I was hooked from the beginning, it must have been the whole randomness of the introduction (truck, topple, harpsicord, smashing, "I don't know if there is anything wrong because I don't know how other people are"). But whatever it was, I was intrigued and eager to know just what was going to happen; having no ideas of the actual plot to the movie.
The first thing I should mention is the art direction. It is simply supreme;
" In a grocery store scene, the items are stacked vertically by color (echoing the color bars that appear periodically between scenes), making the scene appear otherworldly. Other sets are bare of color or distinction. Sandler's love interest in the film (played by Emily Watson) lives in a maze of white corridors. Somehow, every "place" in the film has its own character and association. Even the characters become associated with particular colors"
All in all, the cinematrography is excellent and the same can be said for the use of light and colors.
Emily Watson who plays Sandler's love interest holds a seemingly magical and dream like quality. I felt drawn to her as Barry Egan was. Her appearance, actions, dialogue and mysterious character coupled with child-like good looks held me in a grasp similar to Egan's throughout the feature. Perfect.
I normally shy away from movies that clutter too much into a scene. Take for instance Brazil *shudders*. I hate it when I can't work out what is going on, when the noise gives you a headache and the camera keeps switching all over the place. There is a scene I would describe like this in PDL but it is in fact one of my favourite scenes in the movie;
"What about the great scene where Lena and Barry's sister enter his warehouse? The speed of the scene seems to increase almost out of control as his sister harps and leaves, then Lena gets involved in a conversation with him just as the phone sex operator continues to call and make threats, and with the forklift crashing...and Barry takes it all in stride. The scene overwhelms the audience...but Barry seems keyed in only on Lena while casually acknowledging all of the wild things going on around him...fantastic scene where even I felt out of breath!"
As for Barry, I felt for him and could often relate to his dilemas and opinions. When he got conned out of his cash I felt bad. When he pounded the blondes I felt good and when he fell in love, so too did I. It is movies like these that are simply above any other type of movie. I do not care if this movie is pretentious or too arty, has too many undeveloped plots or is too weird - It made me feel something, I got something out of the movie, and for that I am forever grateful. Not many movies can do that, but this one did. Sandler should take more challenging roles, Anderson should make more movies and people who have not seen this... should.
Im done. Fork in me stick.
Posted by FofR
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