Punch-Love-Drunk

Film Facts:

‘I didn’t ask for a shrink – that must’ve been somebody else. Also, that pudding isn’t mine. Also, I’m wearing this suit today because I had a very important meeting this morning and I don’t have a crying problem’ Barry Egan (Adam Sandler). Punch-Love-Drunk is a romantic drama/comedy which follows Barry Egan and the many struggles he carries filled with many emotions both of sweetness, love and a consistent quirkiness which I believe fits perfectly into the skill set Sandler offers. The film was written and directed by Paul Thomas Anderson and draws upon the idea of silent films with little dialogue spoken in replacement of visual storytelling and of course our film score. Jon Brion wrote the score for this film in his first and only collaboration with PTA. 

Track Facts: 

• Composer

Jon Brion 

• Label

Nonesuch

• Award Nominations 

None On Record

• Release 

November 5, 2002

The Jam

The ‘Punch-Love-Drunk’ soundtrack extends the listener into foreign territory utilising a range of experimental sounds and instruments while providing some memorable harmonic sequences, this begins from the first track. The ‘Punch-Love-Drunk’ theme conforms to a traditional ‘love-based’ composition and in doing so recurs as the musical centrepiece for this film as it brings together both Barry and Lena and is soft on the listeners’ ears.

Jon Brion designs a sweet, quirky and energetic mixture of sounds and musical ideas, which brings about a mixture of emotions. The most notable and common sound is the ‘Punch-Drunk-Love’ melody discussed above, which brings together the families of both woodwind and string while moving through a crescendo into the main theme. On the opposite end of what we experience in the main theme, tracks such as ‘Tabla’ and ‘Hands and Feet’ bring in a mixture of sounds, time signatures and counter melodies to create a confusing and high tempo whirlwind. ‘Waikiki’ and similar tracks throughout the OST stay with Barry on his journey to Hawaii, a good showcase of variance from Brion.

Brion’s strength is in his exclusive tracks ‘Tabla’ and ‘Hands and Feet’, with a truly unique use of instrumentation and musical development to design a relevant yet irresistible charm to the score and the character of Barry Egan. Wide panning from left to right with no timing constraints stand out in this composition and carry a lot of Barry’s struggle and Brion’s boldness in his musicality.

The clear standout in this soundtrack is the ‘Punch-Love-Drunk’ theme, the movement, harmonic layering and rubato brings a depth to Barry and his relationship with Lena, as well as adding a warmth to the entire film. The remainder of the soundtrack presents a number of well-composed pieces, many of which contain the theme in different forms and instruments.

Soundtrack Send-Off & Rating

The Punch-Love-Drunk OST reciprocates the quirkiness, confusion and love we see in Barry Egan, as well as solely unique musical ideas. We also hear numbers of the track which supplement the characters in the film in his emotions, dialogue and his journey. Jon Brion is right on point with his understanding of Sandler’s Barry Egan and brings forth his times of happiness, anger, confusion and his trip to Hawaii, although there are few tracks which stand out within the soundtrack on a musical level which differ from the track discussed above. 

‘Punch-Love-Drunk’ upholds its quality and listening ability but lacks the variety and energy for a full listen through each time: 3/5 

References

Nil