Warning: ‘Punch-Drunk Love’ is nothing like the typical Adam Sandler movie. Is that good or bad?

Known for such goofball comedies as ‘Billy Madison’ and ‘Happy Gilmore,’ the former ‘Saturday Night Live’ star saw his successful formula falter with lackluster responses to ‘Little Nicky’ and ‘Mr. Deeds.’

Following the template of comedic actors Jim Carrey and Mike Myers, Sandler tries to break new ground with a dramatic role in ‘Punch-Drunk Love.’

And who better to team up for his first serious movie than Paul Thomas Anderson, the acclaimed director of ‘Boogie Nights’ and ‘Magnolia’?

Sandler gives an interesting performance as the eccentric protagonist while Anderson makes some quirky choices with sound and visual direction.

In the end, however, ‘Punch-Drunk Love’ is dragged down by its confusing and unappealing storyline. Marketed as a quirky comedy and indie-style drama, the film is, at heart, a weird love story that fails to capture interest.

Sandler plays Barry Egan, a small business owner who sells toilet plungers. Barry, like most of Sandler’s characters, is not an average Joe. He’s a troubled man who wears the same blue suit throughout the movie and is subject to fits of anger. The movie hints that his bizarre behavior originates from his seven overbearing and degrading sisters, including the pushy Elizabeth (Mary Lynn Rajskub).

Things change for Barry when two women enter his life. The first is Georgia, a phone-sex operator whom Barry calls late one lonely night. After their encounter, Georgia continues calling and insisting additional money from him. It’s not long before her boss, sleazy Dean Trumbell (Philip Seymour Hoffman) sends a trio of lowlifes to collect the money from Barry by any means necessary.

The other woman is Lena Leonard (Emily Watson), a co-worker and friend of Elizabeth. Inexplicably, Lena is interested in Barry and the two quickly fall for each other. Before long, however, Barry’s troubles with Georgia and Dean threaten their happiness.

Sandler makes a sincere effort to be serious in ‘Punch-Drunk Love’ and wisely chose the quirky Barry as his first dramatic character. Sandler brings his recognizable character traits to the role, but with twists.

When Barry runs flailing from the goons following him or when he goofily runs through Lena’s apartment building, we don’t laugh at him as we normally would. Instead, we feel sorry for him. It’s a change of pace for Sandler to play such an insecure and humble character.

Co-star Watson has an incredible screen presence and is well-cast as the beautifully forward Lena. She has made of a career of playing likable, slightly off-beat women and she does it well. Rajskub, meanwhile, adequately plays the suffocating older sister. The exception is Hoffman, who is unimpressive in a poorly-written role. He brings nothing to the role.

‘Punch-Drunk Love’ is underwhelming and poorly-developed. It’s a love story between Barry and Lena that doesn’t explain the attraction. Why does Lena want to meet Barry so badly? What does Lena bring out in Barry that no one else can?

Instead, the movie is filled with subplots that go every direction but forward. There is no explanation why Barry’s sisters torment him so much and why he’s so affected by it. We don’t know why the phone-sex line targets Barry and I found myself wondering why Barry doesn’t just call the police.

Anderson tries to cover up the plot holes with interesting visual techniques. He manipulates the silence, sound and score to express unspoken emotions between Lena and Barry. There’s also a great shot of Barry and Lena spinning around after the back of Barry’s car is smashed.

However, these visuals did not compensate for a dull and poorly designed story. Despite good performances, I have no love for ‘Punch-Drunk Love.’

Christopher Reilly is a junior magazine major. His reviews appear Fridays in the Daily Orange. E-mail him at passpopcorn@yahoo.com.

Published on October 31, 2002 at 12:00 pm