MovieChat Forums > Punch-Drunk Love (2002) Discussion > Psychologically troubled?

Psychologically troubled?

posted 4 years ago by BourbonKing (5778)
10 replies | jump to latest

The synopsis states that Barry is suffering from an externally induced mania but Sandler's performance always impressed me as someone who is severely autistic (level 1). What's more chilling is that he has no support group or social platform outside of his small business which always confounded me because you have to be pretty high functioning mentally to run a business of any size yet he jaunts around like his brain is ready to explode.

This isn't my favorite PTA movie, but it's better than some of his subsequent films.

[–] GordonGartrelle (1267) 4 years ago

Honestly, I saw him as nothing more than a man with low self esteem and anger issues, probably due to his crazy-ass sisters.

I saw nothing to suggest that his character was autistic.

[–] samoanjoes (57071) 4 years ago

I'm with this guy. ^^^^^

[–] AP (5288) 4 years ago

I always saw this as a deconstruction of the typical Sanders movie where he is somehow successful in all pursuits despite being a man child. It is not meant to be anymore realistic than Billy Madison.

[–] BourbonKing (5778) 4 years ago

Interesting take. Admittedly I've only seen a handful of Adam's manchild movies but I think you might be onto something as PTA actually channels his actors' well known personas and re-calibrates them into a new narrative. He did it with Tom Cruise in Magnolia, Marky Mark in Boogie Nights, and DDL in There Will Be Blood

[–] Ace_Spade (9577) 4 years ago

Such an insight into PTA's "take" on actors! Their classic/default personae get warped into a PTA-world version! I love that. I'm going to re-watch some of his films with that in mind, but I'm already thinking of Daniel Day-Lewis in There Will Be Blood... Although, that does make Phantom Thread interesting, too, since Day-Lewis is very different there, but maybe even that is the point: Daniel Day-Lewis is known as a chameleon so it only makes sense to "chameleon" him into different versions of that core "method" persona...

[–] Ace_Spade (9577) 4 years ago

That's exactly how I saw his character: he's the same bad-tempered, kinda sweet, self-centred man-child in search of love that Sandler almost always plays (when he goes outside that zone, he's dynamite: Uncut Gems, e.g.) The only difference is that here it's a more realistic setting (albeit an "art film" world), and there are consequences to behaving in the bad way that Sandler's other protagonists do (the restaurant is a good example of this where he has a tantrum in the bathroom and is asked to leave).

I think it's supposed to be more realistic, although not entirely realistic. I think PTA set out to make an indie-rom-com hybrid version of a "typical" Sandler film. The result is one of the best, quirkiest films of Sandler's career, and generally a great romance movie. It's gold.

Although I also really liked the "he's Superman" theory.

[–] AP (5288) 4 years ago

I meant it's unrealistic in that Sandler's condition can not be adequately diagnosed and he will succeed in getting a girl and achieving his goals despite the fact he should be mentally incapable of doing so. The scenes in the restaurant or at the family gathering, however, is where the concept gets deconstructed.

[–] Ace_Spade (9577) 4 years ago

Yes, and I would probably agree with that to some extent. But I would say that his leading lady here is quirky, too, and is willing to fight through for their mutual sakes. I agree, though: there is a "love conquers all" vibe here that doesn't scan with real life and whatever mental illness he's got. But that's some of the charm of the movie. It acknowledges that - I think - and yet moves on with happiness, anyway. It's like it's saying, "Nothing these two do will be perfect, but they do love each other and they will work through the other stuff, no matter how messed-up it gets." I can picture these two going to therapy and counseling together and needing to fight for their happiness and relationship, but I think they will fight and fight hard and win in the end.

[–] AP (5288) 4 years ago

I never got the feeling she was quirky. She seemed pretty normal, which, to me, adds to what the movie was going for.

[–] Ace_Spade (9577) 4 years ago

Have you heard the theory that Barry is Superman? He wears a blue suit with a touch of red (the tie), he has super-strength (breaks the "indestructible" handle), he "flies" when he leaps over that one barrier, etc. I think there's other stuff, but it kinda works in a weird way, at least with some aesthetic flourishes like that.

As for diagnosing him clinically/psychologically, well, for starters, I'm not sure "externally-induced" follows the same rules. These are neuroses, suitable for Freudian analysis, not necessarily a brain-chemistry thing that a medical doctor (psychiatrist...I think...?) would treat.

Symptoms of mania can include things like latching on to get-rich quick schemes, making bad money decisions, acting impulsively, and displaying emotional range like anger or elation. We do see him freak out over the coupon thing, dancing in the store, violently lashing out several times, and engaging in phone sex (including just flinging his credit card number everywhere). That's kinda manic.

I could see autistic, too, but he'd be HIGH functioning, because of the way he interacts and relates with people.

Generally, I'd agree with manic, but maybe throw in some "borderline personality disorder" (if I'm remembering it correctly...), and I'd attribute a lot, most, or all of it coming from his sisters' (mis)treatment of him. His family life is clearly causing a lot of this.