Laura and I rented Punch Drunk Love last night. I have been meaning to see it for a long time, but have never gotten around to it. It is one of those movies that I might recommend to some but not to others. It depends upon why you chose to see or choose not to see some movies. For instance, if you choose not to watch movies because of explicit language then you may not want to see this movie. I tend to choose movies based on how they make me think. If I leave a movie thinking about something useful that I haven't thought of before than I tend to like the movie.
Punch Drunk Love uses light, color, sound, and experience (among other things like camera angles, motion and scene transitions) to envelope the viewer in a profound story of redemption. During the first part of the movie you may feel like hitting a wall or screaming out loud--I think this is good. If you didn't feel like this then you may not be able to be redeemed along with the lead character, Adam Sandler. Sandler's character is not the only thing in the movie demonstrating redemption. The lights, colors, sounds and all the things I mentioned before journey with him and force the viewer into the same process.
Punch Drunk Love is about the potential for redemption when one encounters a certain type of love that grants another the safety in which they can truly and freely be themselves. It is about a love that gives us an answer to the question of "why live" and even to a more compelling question of "what is worth fighting for." Sandler's 'fight' against physical people can be paralleled to our struggled against our conscience and the lies that we believe about our own selves. This makes the work of love even more impressive.
It is important to recognize the love at work in this movie as contrary to the love often admonished in the public arena of tolerance. This love, although in a small part, is not afraid to establish healthy boundaries of right and wrong. It teaches good behavior as well as draws it out of one without overtly teaching. This love changes actions by informing but even more so by freeing. All in all, Punch Drunk Love is not a pleasant movie to watch. The viewer will likely feel as annoyed and frustrated and confused as the main character, however, don't despair; it is a redeeming movie to watch.
Christians will probably immediately draw connections between God and the romance in Sandler's life. While there are many appropriate reasons to do this, one should not be too quick to overlook the qualities of love itself that give strength and power regardless of its source. From this end, I give Punch Drunk Love 4 beers our of a 4 beer system.
2 comments:
If you're going to have a beer rating system may I suggest it be a five beer system so there can be a rating of three beers which is absolutely run of the mill, ordinary, in the middle.
A beer rating system is a marvelous rating system idea. I wish I would have thought of that.
I actually stole the idea from Ochuk who does use a five beer system, I believe. It is funny that you mentioned that because Laura said the same thing. I will make the adjustment in the future to a 5 beer system.
Feel free to use the beer system. We can diversify later...you know, a five New Castle system or a five MGD system depending on genre or quality.
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