All 8 Paul Thomas Anderson Feature Films Ranked Worst To Best – /FILM

Long before the Safdie Brothers' "Uncut Gems" earned him serious awards buzz, Paul Thomas Anderson proved that Adam Sandler could be a great actor with "Punch-Drunk Love." Sometimes, comedic actors choose deathly serious roles or make extreme physical transformations in order to be taken seriously. Here, though, Sandler is cast as a good-natured man-child in over his head, a role not dissimilar from those he frequently plays. It's Anderson's non-traditional approach to the material, which incorporates strange non sequiturs and philosophical ramblings, that makes "Punch-Drunk Love" different fromSandler's other romantic comedies.

Sandler stars in "Punch-Drunk Love" as Barry Egan, a salesman whose life is dominated by his eccentric sisters and frequent bouts of rage. Unsatisfied with the direction of his career, Barry finds hope when a bizarre car accident inadvertently introduces him to Lena (Emily Watson), his sister's co-worker. Barry quickly becomes infatuated, and attempts to break free of his familial trauma in order to pursue a relationship.

Anderson deconstructs Sandler's on-screen persona by giving reasons for Barry's erratic behavior. While "Punch-Drunk Love" contains many hilarious moments, including the now iconic phone conversation in which Barry is berated by the owner of a phone-sex line (Phillip Seymour Hoffman in a brief, but unforgettable, performance), Sandler is more vulnerable in this film than he's ever been. Anderson is rarely a sentimental filmmaker, but the genuine chemistry between Sandler andWatson make "Punch-Drunk Love" his most charming film to date.

More:
All 8 Paul Thomas Anderson Feature Films Ranked Worst To Best - /FILM