Adam Sandler received widespread critical acclaim for his performance in Uncut Gems, but his 2002 comedy-drama remains his most impressive movie. Sandler’s best movies are mostly comedies, and the actor is often derided for his broad performances. However, he’s shown that he has more talent than people give him credit for.

Uncut Gems shocked a lot of people when it came out in 2019. There are still elements of dark comedy, but Sandler gives a much more dramatic and captivating performance than he usually does. Although this was a break from the norm, it wasn’t the first time Sandler showed what he was truly capable of.

Adam Sandler Delivers His Best Performance In Punch-Drunk Love

Sandler Pairs His Comedic Instincts And Surprising Dramatic Chops

While his performance in Uncut Gems is undoubtedly impressive, no movie shows off Adam Sandler’s acting talents quite like Punch-Drunk Love. Paul Thomas Anderson’s quirky romantic comedy stars Sandler as a socially awkward entrepreneur who gets targeted by violent criminals after calling a phone-Sєx line.

Punch-Drunk Love is just as funny as any of Sandler’s comedies, but it’s a completely different kind of movie. The humor is much darker and more absurd, and it’s tempered by a deep pathos that Sandler never reaches for in movies like Happy Gilmore and Billy Madison.

Punch-Drunk Love squeezes a lot of comedic chaos into its relatively slender runtime, but Anderson knows when to slow things down too. He manages to present a surprisingly tender love story, despite the fact that neither of the two romantic leads fit the typical movie mold. In fact, Punch-Drunk Love‘s unique approach is what makes it so engrossing.

Uncut Gems is a heart-pounding thriller, and it can be difficult to watch more than once. By contrast, Punch-Drunk Love is the kind of intriguing, nuanced film that benefits from multiple viewings. It can take a while to get on its wavelength, but it’s richly rewarding for those who can appreciate its charms.

Punch-Drunk Love Refines Sandler’s Comedic Style

Paul Thomas Anderson Builds On Sandler’s Signature Sense Of Humor

Anderson and Sandler were a surprising pair at the time, since Anderson was making a name for himself as a critically-acclaimed filmmaker and Sandler’s mainstream comedies frequently received negative reviews. However, Punch-Drunk Love only works because it puts a new spin on Sandler’s established style.

Just like his characters in Big Daddy or Happy Gilmore, for example, Sandler’s character in Punch-Drunk Love is prone to bursts of rage. Barry Egan’s screaming match with Philip Seymour Hoffman’s loathsome mattress store owner would seem appropriate in any of Sandler’s broad comedies, but Anderson goes deeper.

Punch-Drunk Love explores Barry Egan in enough depth to show the real tragedy beneath the character, partly because of his own faults and partly because he has nobody to truly understand him. This splits Sandler’s most common comedic archetype wide open, but Punch-Drunk Love displays a deep appreciation for these other movies.