Punch Drunk Love

Paul Thomas Anderson - Writer/Director
Adam Sandler - Barry Egan
Emily Watson - Lena Leonard
Philip Seymour Hoffman - Dean Trumbell
Luis Guzman - Lance


Barry is confronted with a mini piano. I love drama.


Punch Drunk Love was billed as a romantic comedy starring Adam Sandler. I'm sure most fans of either were disappointed. This is not your standard Sandler movie, full of farts, boobie jokes and 3 Stooges humor. Not there's necessarily andything wrong with that (I loved Happy Gilmore.) It's also not your typical romantic comedy by-the-book dreck we're accustomed to. It's strange. And it's good.

Barry Egan (Sandler) is a lonely, odd man who has 7 sisters who run his life. These sisters are pushy, rude, and abusive both verbally and emotionally. Barry - not surprisingly - is very timid and also very awkward in dealing with members of the opposite sex. A person can only take so much shit and, like many timid people, there is a mountain of anger beneath Barry's calm exterior. Like in his other films, Sander does go into fits of rage and has violent outbursts. The difference is here his character is given three dimensions and we see what causes him to act this way. He isn't punching the wall and screaming because it makes the audience laugh, he's doing it because he feels helpless, frustrated and doesn't really know how to interact with people.


I actually liked Emily Watson in this movie. And DJ Justice tells it like it is.


This story is about how this odd, damaged man finds love. There are several mysteries along the way. Why is Barry hoarding pudding? Is he really going to get those frequent flyer miles? And why? - he doesn't travel. Why did someone drive up, drop a mini piano in the street and drive away? Why indeed. Underneath all of the strange shit, there is an underlying sweetness in the story. It's liberating to see a prisoner break out of his confines. It's inspiring to see two people who love each other despite quirks, shortcomings and oddities. There isn't much I can say about the plot that I haven't already said. It involves a plunger salesman, pudding, phone sex, extortion, fraud and romance. It's odd, but it's romance. And guess what? Adam Sandler can really act! Who knew? Having ranted and raved about how much I like it, I must say Punch Drunk Love isn't for everyone. It's different. Viewers are presented with a movie that moves in unexpected ways, that requires some thought and inspection. It revolves around a weirdo. You've been warned. Enjoy.

Punch Drunk Love earns 3.5 wombats out of 4

Metallica: Some Kind of Monster

Joe Berlinger - Director
Bruce Sinofsky - Director
James Hetfield - Himself
Lars Ulrich - Himself
Kirk Hammett - Himself
Bob Rock - Himself


Hetfield and Ulrich hard at work.


Metallica has been around for nearly as long as I've been alive. That's a long damn time for a group of people to work together creatively plus endure the gruelling tour schedule Metallica always takes on. There's always been a bit of dysfunction within the band, both on an individual level and as a group. They've lived the stereotypical rock star lives, with the sex, the drugs, the whole nine yards. Now they've got wives and children at home. These things change people.

The band members seem to have finally taken care of their personal problems for the most part. This documentary covers goes inside the studio for the recording of their most recent album, St Anger. Metallica has pretty much retained the same lineup over the years. Very early on, they kicked Dave Mustaine (now of Megadeth) out of the band, stating that he was basically a mean drunk. Kirk Hammett took his place as lead guitarist and has remained. Cliff Burton died in a bus accident in 1984 and was replaced by Jason Newsted, who was the bassist until they began work on St Anger. The details about why Newsted quit come out in this film. The band went into the studio with no bassist (producer Bob Rock played bass in the studio.)

Metallica has always belonged to vocalist James Hetfield and drummer Lars Ulrich. They wrote the sangs, and what they said was how it was going to be. They drank, they shouted at each other, they sulked, but in the end they made great music. For the recording of St Anger, they brought a therapist into the studio to meet with the band and help work out their communication issues. James and Lars have the look of an old married couple who are thinking of calling it quits. Hetfield in particular undergoes a dramatic change during the film and seems like a different man by the end of it. This documentary is a very real, honest look at Metallica as people, as well as an interesting look at group dynamics.

Some Kind of Monster is worth your while to watch, even if you aren't a fan of Metallica's music. It's a fascinating insight into the creative process and inner workings of one of the longest lived, most successful bands of all time. After watching this film, I wondered how St Anger ever made it onto store shelves. They struggle with trying to stay true to themselves while making music that their fans will enjoy. It's a fine line to tow, and clearly having 20+ years experience under your belt doesn't make it any easier.

Some Kind of Monster earns 3.5 wombats out of 4