So, I Was On Netflix: Punch-Drunk Love

Each Tuesday I review a film that can be found on Netflix Instant Streaming. This week, I take a gander at Adam Sandlers 2002 foray into the world of dramatic acting.

Me and Adam Sandler don't get along...at all. But I had constantly heard good things about his dramatic work, which he's dabbled in occasionally (he hasn't done that since 2009, but he is in two upcoming dramas that should be out sometime in 2014 or 2015) I was dubious, solely because the likes of Grown Ups 2 did not inspire confidence that this guy could do more than somehow con the likes of Shaquille O'Neal to appear in his flicks on a consistent basis.

So imagine my shock that, mere minutes into Punch-Drunk Love, that all prior conceptions of Adam Sandler and his career had vanished. In his place was the protagonist of this 2002 motion picture, Barry Eagen, a man who has issues revolving around his violent and anger tendencies. Sandler does a remarkable job in luring me in as a viewer to Eagen, thinking at first that he's simply a well-meaning fellow who has too much on his platter. But the moment his more fury-driven actions come out, Barry is taken in a far more complex direction.

Throughout this adventure, Barry does his best to cover up all of those violent episodes, especially when a lady named Lena Leonard enters his life. Lena is played by Emily Watson, and she does a marvelous job of keeping up with Sandler in every scene, although frankly, I was kind of petrified for her whenever she shared the screen with Barry. She remains ignorant of what he's truly capable of, and the scenes that play off conventional rom-com scenarios (including a trip to Hawaii) have a dash of dark humor to them, since this lady isn't being swept up by Prince Charming. Prince Disarming more like it.

Famed director Paul Thomas Anderson writes and directs this one, doing a terrific job of getting into Barry's head, especially in scenes at his work space. I love the fact that, whenever Barry's working, this unforgettable score from Jon Brion plays, which uses a wide gamut of unsettling instruments and compositions to keep things relentlessly tense. Andersons smart to let that score help emphasize the uneasy atmosphere that the movie thrives on. Plus, the cinematography in this movie...is....gorgeous. Robert Elswit has some outstanding work here, especially in scenes where the bright blue color of Barry's suit clashes with the movies numerous environments.

Weirdly though, despite some excellent work from these four people (five counting Philip Seymour Hoffmans engrossing supporting turn), the film does feel a bit too aimless throughout. There's several scenes, such as Barrys dinner date or one where Barry searches for Lena's hotel room, that feel extraneous, despite Sandler and Watsons performances. Admittedly, they only stick out because of how wonderfully the rest of the movies paced, but they drag things down, as does some logical loopholes in the movie (Barry's financial status, which kickstarts the movies central conflation, fluctuates)  But some weaker moments don't distract from the numerous pieces of Punch-Drunk Love that are magnificent, namely Sandlers dramatic performance that shows how exceptionally talented he is as an actor....in the right movie.