Punch-Drunk Love

Adam Sandler and Emily Watson star in Punch-Drunk Love , an odd romantic comedy from gifted young director Paul Thomas Anderson . Sandler plays Barry Egan, a shy sad-sack with a great deal of repressed anger that occasionally bursts forth in sudden violent outrages, who falls in love with Lena Leonard ( Emily Watson ), a co-worker of one of Barry's seven sisters. After calling a phone-sex line, Barry is extorted by bad-guy Dean Trumbell ( Anderson regular Philip Seymour Hoffman ), who eventually sends four goons to assault Barry and get the money. This film was screened in competition at the 2002 Cannes Film Festival , where Paul Thomas Anderson was named Best Director. — Perry Seibert