Sandler leaves audience feelin’ the ‘Love’

I have never uttered these words before: a good Adam Sandler

movie. I’m referring to “Punch Drunk Love,” acclaimed filmmaker Paul

Thomas Anderson’s (“Hard Eight,” “Boogie Nights”) follow-up to his

heralded film “Magnolia.”

Like his previous films, Anderson sets his film in the blighted

neighborhoods of the San Fernando Valley. Unlike his other films,

Anderson strays from his obvious Robert Altman influences and creates

a small, intimate film, reminiscent of Altman’s “Vincent & Theo.”

In “Punch Drunk Love” Sandler plays Barry Egan, your typical

novelty toilet plunger wholesaler. Egan has a mundane existence and

appears to be on the verge of a nervous breakdown. This is a man who

has been hen-pecked his entire life by his seven domineering sisters.

They constantly belittle and insult him.

The only excitement that permeates this man’s existence is the

occasional violent fits of rage that he hurls at his sisters and

others.

Into Egan’s life comes Lena Leonard (Emily Watson), a co-worker of

his sister Elizabeth ( Mary Lynn Rajskub). Their subsequent attempts

to establish a relationship are complicated by Egan’s apparent

emotional detachment from women.

His detachment is highlighted in his attempts to distance himself

from the lonely phone call he made one night to a seedy Provo, Utah,

phone-sex service. The call leaves Egan, and eventually Lena,

vulnerable to the service’s proprietor, Dean Trumbell (Phillip

Seymour Hoffman), and his henchmen.

While the movie is being advertised as a romantic comedy, it is

more sophisticated that your typical Julia Roberts fare. Each of the

women in this film represent a different level of love, especially in

Egan’s relationship with each female.

Elizabeth, for example, represents familial love. Even though she

is as responsible as her sisters for the abuse of Egan, she defends

him from other persons outside the family who try to hurt him.

Egan’s “relationship” with the phone-sex operator is love at is

most emotionless. Egan’s paying for a prostitute is reminiscent of

Holden Caulfield’s paying for a prostitute before he is committed in

“Catcher in the Rye.”

Lena represents love in its most unconditional form. Throughout

the film, Lena is exposed to Egan’s violent fits of rage and

inexplicable, immature behavior. Through it all, she remains

committed not only to loving him but also to helping him out of his

emotional vacuum.

Like all Anderson’s movies, “Punch-Drunk Love” plays out on

several levels -- some serious and realistic, some fantastic or

lighthearted. This film is about humdrum lives and how they can be

transformed by love and peril.

You may feel a little unnerved by it (several persons walked out

during the screening I saw), but not because you’re being deluged

with inanity. Instead, the film challenges the viewer to examine the

barren emotional existence that these characters struggle with on a

daily basis.

The characters try to transform their lives in a variety of ways,

such as Egan’s attempt to obtain millions of frequent flier miles

through an advertising error, or his assistant, Lance’s (Luis

Guzman), wearing a suit to work everyday because it makes him feel

more successful.

The Cannes Film Festival jury that gave Anderson the director’s

prize (which he shared with Korea’s Im Kwon-Taek) was chaired by

David Lynch, probably one of this film’s champions. In a way, the

slant on Southern California life here is similar to Lynch’s darker

fable on Southern California, “Mulholland Drive.”

Anderson’s film is in many ways a tribute to Southern California,

just as his mentor’s Robert Altman’s “Short-Cuts,” “The Player,” and

“The Long Goodbye” were tributes.

Anderson’s ode to California living is even manifested in the

songs of Harry Nilson and Jon Brion that pepper the soundtrack. In

all, Anderson has demonstrated to the world his true brilliance as an

artist, making Adam Sander a viable and serious actor.

“Punch-Drunk Love” is rated R for strong language, including a

scene of sexual dialogue.

* ROB OROZCO is an attorney with Morris, Polich & Purdy. He lives

in Costa Mesa with his wife and two cats.