Director
Paul Thomas Anderson
Leading Actors/Actresses
Adam Sandler, Emily Watson
Supporting Actors/Actresses
Philip Seymour Hoffman
Genre
Drama, Romance, Comedy
Language
English
Awards
N/A
Date of Release
2002
Producer
JoAnne Sellar, Daniel Lupi, Paul Thomas Anderson
Setting and Context
Los Angeles and Utah - 2002
Narrator and Point of View
POV is that of Barry
Tone and Mood
Dramatic, Comedic, Romantic
Protagonist and Antagonist
Protagonist is Barry. Antagonists are Barry's sisters and the various figures behind the extortion scheme.
Major Conflict
Barry is extorted by a phone sex company.
Climax
Barry falls in love with Lena, and faces Dean to put an end to the extortion.
Foreshadowing
The woman in a red dress at the grocery store following Barry foreshadows that Barry will fall in love.
Understatement
It’s understated that Barry will get the courage to fight back.
Innovations in Filming or Lighting or Camera Techniques
N/A
Allusions
The film is an allusion to one dealing with their suppressed anger and finding a way to connect to life once more.
Paradox
Barry’s forklift driver smashes into a wall; paradoxically, Barry doesn’t pay any attention to it and continues to talk with Lena.
Parallelism
Barry in a corner in the opening shot is paralleled to he and being in the same corner when his sister tries to set him up with Lena.
