Punch-Drunk Love "Explained"

[strangeworth]

I believe you are looking into this more than you should. The object of subtlety isn't to believe a "bigger story" but rather a more elusive one within the confines of normalcy. Have you even seen many Black Comedies?

[unclvinny]

I don't believe she's supposed to be an angel and that he's supposed to be dead, but many of your observations are excellent, thanks! I especially like seeing the very blurry woman in the red dress "following" him as he's figuring out the pudding scheme.

[patrickcharleton]

How can he be 'dead the whole time'? That makes no sense.

[eduardogray]

Minha teoria da minha graduação de cinema.  Na comunidade do orkut oferço minha monografia sobre os simbolos no cinem a da paul thomas anderson e teorizo sobre a morte de Barry Egan em PCL. E teorizo Magnólia. Tudo embasado em semiótica.

[OGdbleE]

What about the whole phone sex line stuff? relevance?

[brunobinicba]

E no primeiro plano que você usou na montagem, tem uma foto dele na parede. Com o mesmo terno azul. 0:06

And in the opening shot in your thesis, there`s a portrait of Barry in the wall. Wearing the same old blue suit. 0:06

[jh193187]

Here's my take: Part I

The harmonium falls into Barry’s possession shortly before he meets Lena, her relationship is an offer of harmony. He takes it inside, and doesn’t seem to understand (doesn’t even realize he has to plug it in). The score begins and he hits dissonant notes against it, showing that he’s far from his goal.

[dinknasty]

Blue suit = funeral suit

[mackomacko]

this is indeed genius... now im gonna watch it again.. that movie is so good..

[mizzo72thrizzy]

Notice when they meet each other in Hawaii, there's nobody in the hotel but then they embrace in the corridor and suddenly there's a stream of people passing by from left and right. PTA is such a freakin' genius, it's scary.

[SamoanSoilder]

@mizzo72thrizzy

What does the stream of people mean?

[bryceadams]

@SamoanSoilder

I believe it may be a representation of the significance barry and lena's relationship has. when contrasted with a stream of people moving quickly through the corridor (and if you watch again, every single person besides the couple are practically running through), barry and lena seem to have found what they're looking for. their search (primarily barry's) for happiness, acceptance, and love is over, whilst the rest of the world keeps on searching.

[mizzo72thrizzy]

Dude, you kind of blew my mind with this. First time I saw this I have to admit for some reason I was kind of freaked out. Such a powerful movie. You make a very compelling case for a supernatural element to this film. That's clearly her in the background at the grocery store.

[jeffmangumisgood]

i think you've got something here. it might not be exactly what PTA is saying but it could be close. it seems like all the symbols and clues mean SOMETHING and that this movie is not just a love story. PTA saying that the metaphors or symbols mean nothing MEANS nothing. great filmmakers will not expose their hidden meanings in their films (like the coens) and will let the viewer figure it out. But i'll never watch PDL the same.

[mugable]

I'm not gonna say it's right or wrong. I will say I think of this movie completely differently now. I've loved it from the first time i saw it. After applying your theory to the movie I love it even more.

Others: try not to think of it as right or wrong. Think of the movie as a painting. Sure the artist had something specific to convey, but the beauty of art is that it's open to interpretation.

[jollymanbigboy]

I forgot how much I love this movie.

[nubbs]

not bad. not right. but not bad.

[Jamesparker19751975]

This is a very creative and wonderous interpretation. I don't know if it is what the filmmaker intended (if it is I have even more respect now) But If it is I think a lot of people (especially men) identify with this interpretation of say their love story. We do feel dead (in contrast) many times before we find our angel... Maybe that's why it feels like we're dying so often when and if we lose that angel. p.s. did you ever find any imput if your interpretation was right?

[ragnarocking]

Something should also be said about the score. It especially underlines the generally confused/lost state of Barry throughout the first half of the movie. It tapers off in Hawaii when supplanted by mood music or silence.

[m0e19]

At 4:33, I recall Barry saying "What am I looking for?" and not "Talk to me." as shown in the video. Please correct me if I am wrong.

[baderfinger]

Bravo! What the hell is wrong with taking a film and letting it expand into something greater than methodical complacency . I believe it is normally referred to as having a sense of imagination . Why must everyone agree . I love this interpretation and asking for proof would equate to thinking that Peter Pan is pointless because you cant fly with him . If PTA was James Cameron there would be no point for interpretation because the story would be dumbed down for the totally oblivious .

[420MrDanky420]

yah nice interpertation, possible but i disagree, i would need more "proof"

[sodamntired]

thank you for this explanation.

it makes me love this film even more.

[waywardwatchdog1]

Then, would you say that Phillip Seymour Hoffman, the girl on the phone, and the three men hired to rough him up were the malevolent forces battling for his soul? I did find it interesting that he fights only when they've injured Lena, and, at that point, he seems to possess almost supernatural powers. I'm suspicious as to whether your theory holds any water, but I like the interpretation anyway.

[tomatoeslg]

Man, you're a genius. This is definitely the best performance I've ever seen on Punch-Drunk Love, I saw the movie a few days ago, and you're absolutely right! Everything is clear now. Thank you.

[BOB2112420]

Well, inductive reasoning seems to be becoming more and more popular in the 21st century. (Thanks, Max22 for reminding us).

[xclevernamex]

The black and white of it is that this is a movie about a guy with social anxiety disorder. The most meaningful part of the whole movie is when he's in the supermarket walking feverishley saying "what am I looking for," while Lena is actually following him the whole time (the woman in the red dress at the other end of the isle) and he is distracting his mind with thoughts of pudding instead of noticing her. Love in one's life is a cure for many ails.

[Edgingtube]

I've always thought that Barry finding a harmonium was some sort of reference to the song, "Music for a Found Harmonium." Not sure PTA did this on purpose, but it's definitely interesting.

[bicabornato]

at first all of this looked REALLY farfetch but it kinda made sense

good thinkig. but i still don't think it has such extraordanary meaning... but you never know

[LovePriscilaBeatriz]

iloveyou Philip

[cameronjamesparker]

This was really interesting but Paul T. Anderson said in an interview that the symbols meant nothing.

[FrankBooth6]

Insightful!

indeed, his theory about this movie is the best I've ever encountered. You able to identify the typical P.T. Anderson symbolism and metaphors perfectly. Now i can enjoy it in a different eyes. Congratulations.

[fakebeliever]

Uh, isn't it a love story? You're reading way too much into this. PT Anderson doesn't angle stories the way you're describing. The accidents are a plot function to set up how awkward and unlucky Sandler's character is; it's not meant to have some "hidden" meaning like an ancient mystery religion. All the symbolism of colors are likely much broader, meant to parallel or enhance the emotions of the scenes. Red=passion. White=purity, or peace.

[icculus913]

i dont know about this, it seems like youre reading a little too much into it. i think the film is simply a love story, done paul thomas anderson-style

[saykaren2]

Definitely, your thesis is very interesting. reviewed the film a few days, and actually you're right in many things. The harmonium was what Barry had to learn to be able to go to heaven, and Lena is leaving the harmonium for him. Now I love this movie even more, once you understand so many meanings. That was the best explication I have ever read about the movie. Thank you.

[elektro87]

Yeah, this thesis isn't based in the film whatsoever. You offer no 'proof', merely clips that you assert have a meaning that you've projected onto it. Also, you're not correctly understanding or interpreting symbols--there's no grounding for your interpretation in the film's text. Directors who mean for symbolic interpretation to occur embed hints--the mentions of Shakespeare in A Nightmare on Elm Street or James Joyce's the Dead in the Departed.

[heartion]

I agree with elektro87. Back up your thesis with proof, anyone can just assign symbols to elements of the story, and even if it makes sense, it has added nothing to the film. I can say that Rafiki in the Lion King represented an angel and timon and pumba represented religion, but that's just conceit.

Just take PDL as a quirky love story, that's more than enough.

[BrideAndGroomFilmsHD]

no.

[uubuntu]

That's a really interesting theory. I haven't seen the movie in several years (I own the dvd), but I'm going to have to watch it again in the next day or so. Whether it truly fits together or not, it does give an alternative storytelling line to this unusual film. Thank you.

[HighContrast01]

Interesting theory but I'm sure PT Anderson has said that one of the subliminal ideas in the film is that Emily Watson's character is an alien, hence the white light. It's also why the tv at Sandler's is playing space footage.

[1dandaman12345]

Interesting theory. But, if it is correct, what's the point? What does the viewer gain from all of it.

Also, what is the significance of the whole Phillip Seymour Hoffman thread of the story?

[IlPersona]

Um, no. Sorry, that is a truly terrible way to view the film. Quit thinking so hard, the story is deep without reading into it.

[tomatoeslg]

You broke the code of the film.

[jbsfilm]

Interesting thoughts, but you are totally reading things into the movie that aren't there. It's an innocent story about a woman coming into a man's life. He's a guy who's repressed and that's kind of how things are with many guys today. When he tore up the bathroom it killed me.

[Wiesiamstiesi]

what? come on guys...

[cw505]

Outstanding!!!

It all seems so obvious now!

I was just thinking of waikiki earlier tonight, used to live there. closest i ever felt to paradise!!

this movie always made me feel lonely and makes me hate mormons even more... but now i can enjoy it in a different light!

thanks!!

[83phatman]

Very interesting concept, Braga.

I actually really liked Punch Drunk Love. Probably the best of Sandler's more dramatic roles (although it's not really a drama and more dramedy).

Roger Ebert had an interesting theory about PDL: that it was Anderson's study on the typical Sandler comic role (how his characters are always angry and are portrayed as children in Man Form). Check it out.

[ASHBOX86]

Good theories. But all I know that is PDL is a damn Masterpiece! and without a doubt one of the greatest films of all time.

[saykaren2]

I am impressed with his thesis. All makes sense. Amazing!!!!!