SCREEN IT! PARENTAL REVIEW: PUNCH DRUNK LOVE

"PUNCH DRUNK LOVE"
(2002) (Adam Sandler, Emily Watson) (R)

Alcohol/ Drugs	Blood/Gore	Disrespectful/ Bad Attitude	Frightening/ Tense Scenes	Guns/ Weapons
Minor	Mild	Heavy	Mild	None

Imitative Behavior	Jump Scenes	Music (Scary/Tense)	Music (Inappropriate)	Profanity
Mild	Mild	Mild	None	Extreme

Sex/ Nudity	Smoking	Tense Family Scenes	Topics To Talk About	Violence
Heavy	None	Mild	Moderate	Moderate

QUICK TAKE:: Drama: An emotionally unstable salesman tries to find solace in his life when he starts dating his sister's friend.

PLOT:

Barry Egan (ADAM SANDLER) is a plunger salesman who works with Lance (LUIS GUZMÁN) and others in a nondescript warehouse somewhere in Southern California. An emotionally unstable man, Barry is prone to sudden violent outbursts, particularly when harassed by or in the company of any of his seven overbearing sisters, including Elizabeth (MARY LYNN RAJSKUB).

When not plying his trade, he spends his time working on a harmonium that was dropped off at the end of the alley where he works. He's also found a loophole in a frequent flier promotion and thus is buying a great deal of various products, including pudding, that he can redeem for a million frequent flier miles.

A lonely man, Barry decides one night to call up a phone sex service. After giving his personal information to the operator, he receives a phone call from the sultry "Georgia." All presumably ends well, but the next morning she calls back, stating she needs financial help and asks for $750. He says he can't help her, but she insists and starts harassing him over the phone both at home and at work.

It's at the latter where he earlier briefly met Lena Leonard (EMILY WATSON), and now Elizabeth has brought her back in hopes of fixing them up together. They start dating but aren't sure of each other, and Barry's somewhat distracted by Georgia and the fact that her boss, Dean Trumbell (PHILIP SEYMOUR HOFFMAN), has sent a brotherly quartet to get the money from him.

From that point on and as Barry begins to grow as a person, he must decide how to deal with that problem as well as his emotions and feelings for Lena.

WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT?: Unless they're fans of Sandler, someone else in the cast or director P.T. Anderson ("Boogie Nights," "Magnolia"), it doesn't seem too unlikely (although some older teens might be curious about it).

WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: R: For strong language including a scene of sexual dialogue.

CAST AS ROLE MODELS:: ADAM SANDLER plays an emotionally disturbed plunger salesman who's prone to melancholy and brief outbursts of violence. He uses strong profanity, calls up a phone sex line when lonely, and eventually falls for Lena.
EMILY WATSON plays a woman who inexplicably wants to date Barry and falls for him.
PHILIP SEYMOUR HOFFMAN plays a furniture store manager who runs a phone sex operation out of that business. He orders his men to take care of Barry (rough him up for money) and uses strong profanity.
LUIS GUZMÁN plays a man who works with Barry.
MARY LYNN RAJSKUB plays one of Barry's overbearing and demeaning sisters (although she's the one who sets him up with Lena).; EMILY WATSON plays a woman who inexplicably wants to date Barry and falls for him.
PHILIP SEYMOUR HOFFMAN plays a furniture store manager who runs a phone sex operation out of that business. He orders his men to take care of Barry (rough him up for money) and uses strong profanity.
LUIS GUZMÁN plays a man who works with Barry.
MARY LYNN RAJSKUB plays one of Barry's overbearing and demeaning sisters (although she's the one who sets him up with Lena).; PHILIP SEYMOUR HOFFMAN plays a furniture store manager who runs a phone sex operation out of that business. He orders his men to take care of Barry (rough him up for money) and uses strong profanity.
LUIS GUZMÁN plays a man who works with Barry.
MARY LYNN RAJSKUB plays one of Barry's overbearing and demeaning sisters (although she's the one who sets him up with Lena).; LUIS GUZMÁN plays a man who works with Barry.
MARY LYNN RAJSKUB plays one of Barry's overbearing and demeaning sisters (although she's the one who sets him up with Lena).; MARY LYNN RAJSKUB plays one of Barry's overbearing and demeaning sisters (although she's the one who sets him up with Lena).

CAST, CREW, & TECHNICAL INFO

HOW OTHERS RATED THIS MOVIE

Curious if this title is entertaining, any good, and/or has any artistic merit?
Then read OUR TAKE of this film.

(Note: The "Our Take" review of this title examines the film's artistic merits and does not take into account any of the possibly objectionable material listed below).

OUR WORD TO PARENTS:

Here's a quick look at the content found in this R-rated film. Profanity consists of at least 32 "f" words, other expletives and colorful phrases. The main character calls a phone sex operation and graphic sexual dialogue ensues. It's suggested that a couple has sex and some photos/posters of partially nude and scantily clad women are seen in the background of several shots.

Violence consists of a person hitting and striking several men who earlier hit him, as well as some violent solo outbursts that result in some property damage. There are several car wrecks, one resulting in a bloody head wound.

Some of those scenes may be unsettling or suspenseful to some viewers, and a few "jump scenes" are present (where sudden noise or visuals might startle viewers). Various characters have varying degrees of bad attitudes (including the protagonist's sisters toward him), while a few characters drink.

If you're still concerned about the film and its appropriateness for yourself or anyone else in your home who may be interested in seeing it, we suggest that you take a closer look at our detailed listings for more specific information regarding the film's content.

ALCOHOL OR DRUG USE: Various people have wine at a small party.
Various people have drinks at a performance, including Barry and Lena who have drinks in front of them.

BLOOD/GORE: A pickup truck suddenly slams into Barry's car, spinning it around (and Lena has some blood coming down the side of her head as a result).

DISRESPECTFUL/BAD ATTITUDE: Barry's sisters dominant him and that drives him crazy. They talk among themselves that they used to call him "gay boy" all of the time.
Trumbell and those who work for him have bad attitudes for running a sex phone line where the intent is to get customers to pay extra money to the girls, and that if they don't pay, they harass and even physically accost and beat people (including Barry on both accounts) for it.
Barry goes into a restaurant bathroom and proceeds to tear the place apart, breaking and tearing things off the wall, etc.
Barry leaves Lena in the emergency room to take care of other pressing matters.

FRIGHTENING SCENES: Scenes listed under "Violence" may also be unsettling or suspenseful to some viewers.
Some men grab Barry and throw him into the back of a pickup truck. After stopping at an ATM machine, one punches him (we don't see the impact) and all then chase Barry as he tries to run away.
A pickup truck suddenly slams into Barry's car, spinning it around (and Lena has some blood coming down the side of her head as a result). Barry then aggressively approaches these men (the same who beat and earlier accosted him) and punches one down to the street. He then hits another in the face with a tire iron. He then kicks another and hits him across the face with the tire iron. He then uses that to smash a truck window.

GUNS/WEAPONS: None.

IMITATIVE BEHAVIOR: Phrases: "F*cking retard," "You just made a f*cking war for yourself which you can't afford," "I'm going to crack your f*cking head open," "You stupid m*therf*cker," "Where the f*ck are you going?" "You're f*cking lying," "Give me the f*cking number," "Don't you f*cking hear me?" "I'll f*cking kill you," "Shut the f*ck up," "Go f*ck yourself," "F*ck you," "Piece of sh*t," "That sh*t has nothing to do with me," "Don't puss out," "Freak out," "Pervert," "This is bull crap," "Cut the crap," "Shut up" and "Before I beat the hell from you."
Barry's sisters talk among themselves that they used to call him "gay boy" all of the time.
Barry goes into a restaurant bathroom and proceeds to tear the place apart, breaking and tearing things off the wall, etc.
Some men grab Barry and throw him into the back of a pickup truck. After stopping at an ATM machine, one punches him (we don't see the impact) and all then chase Barry as he tries to run away.

JUMP SCENES: A large semi suddenly drives past the camera (accompanied by the sudden loud sound of that) and that might startle some viewers in the otherwise quiet scene.
A large warehouse door suddenly opens.
A pickup truck suddenly slams into Barry's car, spinning it around.

MUSIC (SCARY/TENSE): A mild amount of ominous music plays in several scenes.

MUSIC (INAPPROPRIATE): None.

PROFANITY: At least 32 "f" words (2 used with "mother"), 4 "s" words, 4 slang terms using male genitals ("c*ck" and "d*ck"), 2 slang terms using female genitals ("p*ssy"), 1 slang term for sex ("hook up"), 4 craps, 2 asses (both used with "hole"), 1 hell, 3 uses each of "G-damn" and "Oh my God," 2 of "God" and 1 use each of "My God" and "Oh God" as exclamations.

SEX/NUDITY: Some calendars/posters on the wall (seen from a distance) show scantily clad women (including one with partially covered breasts and another that appears to show bare breasts from a distance).
Barry sees a phone sex ad that promises intimacy, love and talking live with a girl. He then calls and after giving them his credit card number, a sultry-sounding woman calls back (he says his name is Jack). She says she's lying on her bed and that maybe they should "hook up" sometime. She wonders if he's watching a porno movie and then asks if he likes them (he cautiously says he does). She then asks, "Are you stroking it?" and wonders if his pants are off (she says she's just wearing a T-shirt and panties). She then says, "And I'm looking at my big p*ssy in the mirror." After some other nonsexual conversation, the woman says, "I'm so horny, Jack, what about you?" She then asks, "Are you jacking off yet, Jack?" (He replies that he isn't). She then asks, "Do you ever?" He says that he sometimes does when he's lonely. After some more nonsexual talk, she asks, "Are you stroking it yet, baby?" He says he isn't and she asks, "Is your c*ck hard?" He replies that he doesn't know what it's doing right now, and she tells him to take his clothes off, imagine lying down next to her and then to "stroke your c*ck." He then appears to undo his pants (his back is to the camera) and she says that she's horny and wants him, but the scene ends there.
We see a phone sex woman at work doing her thing.
Barry and Lena passionately kiss. They later do the same again (seen in silhouette).
We see Barry on top of Lena on a bed (both are clothed but very breathy) and they passionately kiss and nuzzle. It's implied that they have sex.
"Georgia" has an outgoing message on her answering machine where she says that she's distracted as she's in the bathroom shaving her roommate's "p*ssy."
We hear some more phone sex call dialogue, such as "stroking it," etc.

SMOKING: None.

TENSE FAMILY SCENES: Barry's sisters dominant him and that drives him crazy.
We hear that Lena was married before, but don't know anything about that.

TOPICS TO TALK ABOUT: Barry's sisters dominant him and that drives him crazy.
Barry obviously being mentally unbalanced (his violent outbursts, the fact that he says he doesn't like himself sometimes, and that he sometimes cries a lot for no reason, etc.).
Phone sex business.
Giving out personal information (address, credit card number, social security number) to people you don't know on the phone.
Barry (lovingly) telling Lena that he'd like to smash her face with a sledgehammer and she says that she'd like to pull out his eyes and eat them.

VIOLENCE: A car travels down the road and suddenly wrecks, flipping over in the process.
While showing that a handle on what looks like a plunger is unbreakable, Barry tries to break it and it shatters.
Upset at how he's being treated, Barry suddenly and purposefully breaks all three sheets of glass in a sliding glass door unit.
A forklift crashes into the wall in the warehouse (but no one is hurt).
Barry goes into a restaurant bathroom and proceeds to tear the place apart, breaking and tearing things off the wall, etc.
Some men grab Barry and throw him into the back of a pickup truck. After stopping at an ATM machine, one punches him (we don't see the impact) and all then chase Barry as he tries to run away.
Barry punches the wall quite hard while upset.
A pickup truck suddenly slams into Barry's car, spinning it around (and Lena has some blood coming down the side of her head as a result). Barry then aggressively approaches these men (the same who beat and earlier accosted him) and punches one down to the street. He then hits another in the face with a tire iron. He then kicks another and hits him across the face with the tire iron. He then uses that to smash a truck window.

Reviewed October 1, 2002 / Posted October 18, 2002

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