Starring Adam Sandler, Emily Watson, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Luis Guzman, Mary Lynn Rajskub. Written and Directed by P. T. Anderson. Barry Egan (Sandler) runs a two-bit sales business that barely makes enough to support him, his workers and his partner (Guzman). He has seven sisters, who constantly insult and berate him, and he just takes it, seething within. One of his sisters (Rajskub) tries to set him up with one of her co-workers Lana Leonard (Watson), but constantly cautions her that he's probably too strange to even bother with. Actually, he's lonely and quite depressed, and doesn't know anybody he can trust to talk to about it. He phones a phone-sex line for some companionship and someone to talk to, among other things. But next morning she phones back and tries to shake Barry down for some money. And he threatens the owner of the phone sex business (Hoffman). His life soon becomes complicated, not least of because he has started seeing Lana and flies to Hawaii to surprise her, and they begin a relationship. But his past catches up with him and will it effect his life and personal relationships? The full review will be posted shortly. Punch Drunk Love is unlike any romantic comedy you've ever seen, and it's unlike any Adam Sandler movie you've ever seen. There is one surprise after another, one weird twist after another. Sandler's dorky loser character that he plays over and over in every movie he's in has been stood on it's head - his weird and strange behaviour comes from the character's personal demons, not something done for cheap laughs. The anger in all of Sandler's characters is mined for laughs and forgotten about - it's never real, but here it is a dominant theme of the movie and it is real, a result of the overbearing abuse from his sisters and just taking it. He may be a loser and a bit scary, but Sandler's sympathetic portrayal creates empathy with the audience and we easily forgive his excesses and root for his success. If you expect the mindless laughs of The Waterboy or Billy Madison from Sandler, this kind departure may not be for you. But if you are happy to see evidence that Adam Sandler can act and act well, and can appear in a decent movie (OK, The Wedding Singer and Happy Gilmore weren't bad at all), take a look at Punch Drunk Love. If you would like to respond, please click the E-Mail Press Here To Go To The Review List Page