Crooked Table Podcast: Episode 144 — Will Ashton 2 / Punch-Drunk Love

People just love to hate on Adam Sandler. Perhaps the reason behind this is how little his comedic persona has evolved since the days of Happy Gilmore and The Wedding Singer. Or maybe just not enough moviegoers have seen Punch-Drunk Love.

This 2002 romantic comedy/drama from writer/director Paul Thomas Anderson marked a surprising departure from Sandler’s usual work. Although the film does go for some laughs, it is far more esoteric than Sandler’s usual broad style. In fact, the film digs deeper into his performance style than even critics expected.

Now Will Ashton of Cinemaholics returns to the show to talk about how Punch-Drunk Love captures social anxiety, the way Anderson leverages Sandler’s signature on-screen rage, and why the film is still so underappreciated. Sandler doubters definitely need to check out what is arguably his greatest performance.

SYNOPSIS

Although susceptible to violent outbursts, bathroom supply business owner Barry Egan (Adam Sandler) is a timid and shy man by disposition, leading a lonely, uneventful life — partly due to the constant berating he suffers from his seven sisters. However, several events transpire that shake up Egan’s mundane existence, one of which is falling in love with one sister’s co-worker, Lena Leonard (Emily Watson). But the romance is threatened when Egan falls victim to an extortionist.