For some reason, I haven’t seen Punch-Drunk Love since it came out. I liked the movie and supported Adam Sandler doing something different, but for whatever reason it never came back across my path.
Revisiting it as a 47-year-old man, I probably appreciate it much more. I’m much older than the characters now, but having been through divorce and rough patches, there is something universal about the pressure of meeting someone, and wanting to keep that to yourself.
Plus, the technical craft is outstanding, and the 4K UHD only highlights how Paul Thomas Anderson knows how to make a movie. Most of Punch-Drunk Love takes place in stark offices, garages and warehouse spaces, yet the lighting makes them dynamic with shadows and silhouettes.
Magic hour is still beautiful in the warehouse district. The widescreen frame puts Sandler in the center, or frantically running back and forth in a panic.
His blue suit stands out in the otherwise colorless world. Emily Watson’s pink, purple and red dresses provide a contrast even to Sandler’s blue. Their silhouettes, especially their kiss in Hawaii, are divine.
The sound design feels like a precursor to Uncut Gems. Surround sound creates the cacophony surrounding poor Barry (Sandler). When he’s involved in a car crash, that activates striking surround sounds.
By now, even the archival extras for Criterion’s Blu-ray edition are nine years old. giving them historical perspective. The Cannes press conference from 2002 is fun as Anderson is purposely evasive to pointed questions.