Punch-Drunk Love shocks critics

The relentless critics who dismissed Sandler's talents were completely silenced in 2002 when visionary auteur director Paul Thomas Anderson cast him in the indie romantic drama Punch-Drunk Love. Sandler’s brilliant, deeply unsettling performance as Barry Egan - a lonely, socially anxious novelty salesman prone to sudden outbursts of rage - earned him a Golden Globe nomination. The role proved once and for all that he possessed heavyweight dramatic acting talent when given the right material.