In director Paul Anderson's new movie Punch Drunk Love, Adam Sandler takes on a 'serious' role as Barry Egan, a salesman of bathroom supplies (wholesale of course) who has seven, count-em, sisters, and an anger management problem. He meets the lovely Lena (the fabulous and fabulously wasted Emily Watson), steals a harmonium and attempts to buy $3,000 of Healthy Choice pudding in order to earn one million American Airline frequent flyer points, and thus never pay for an airline ticket again. Oh yes, he's also being harrassed by a phone sex operator he once called who is attempting to extort blackmail money for her deliciously slimy boss, played by the always excellent Philip Seymour Hoffman.

This sounds much better than it actually was. Anderson has not yet managed to make convincing characters in any of his movies (Magnolia, Boogie Nights). They're certainly interesting, but never quite believable. And you'll never convince me in a million frequent flyer miles that any woman is going to find Adam Sandler attractive - sorry, I have a lot of imagination, but not that much.

If you're expecting a regular, semi-goofball Adam Sandler movie, you've made the wrong choice - this is Adam Sandler attempting to establish himself as a serious actor - in my humble opinion, not going to happen. I know men might like him, but I've yet to meet a woman who even likes, let alone fantasizes about, Adam Sandler. 

Emily Watson is a superb actress, and you actually believe that she falls for Barry (Sandler) - why, we can never figure out though. What's a lovely looking, intelligent woman like Lena doing with a loser like Barry? Only in the movies. Don't waste your time or money.