Mama always said that pudding and phone sex are a dangerous mix.

Barry Egan (Adam Sandler) finds that out the hard way in Paul Thomas Anderson’s new film, “Punch-Drunk Love” (R, Columbia).

Barry is a shy, introverted man trying to figure out just what life has in store for him. He acts like a big kid, but instead of being afraid of the dark, he seems afraid of the light. At certain points in the movie, he runs from bright areas and sprints to find darkness as if it comforts him.

-We find out later on that Barry is afraid of reality and the awkward feeling that can come along with it. The pressure of being called a “weirdo” by his seven sisters doesn’t help Barry much. One sister is hell-bent on finding him a lover, while the others are obsessed with making him conform to society’s norms.

Barry cannot simply become a “normal person.” He needs something, or someone, to gradually lead him to reality. That someone turns out to be Lena Leonard (Emily Watson). When Barry learns that Lena will be visiting Hawaii, he decides to buy large amounts of pudding to collect frequent flier miles from a promotion the pudding company is offering.

Sounds weird, right? Well, Lena doesn’t run from Barry’s weird behavior, she clings to it. They’re two strange people ready to become one strange couple, and we’re there to witness the whole shebang.

Any P.T. Anderson fan will love this film. At a mere 105 minutes, “Punch-Drunk Love” is a dramatic change from Anderson’s other, lengthier dramas (such as 1999’s “Magnolia”). The final product is a dark “dramedy” that works on many levels.

One thing that this film has in common with Anderson’s other works is its visual imagery and symbolism. On Barry and Lena’s first date, his bright blue suit and her bright red dress literally jump off the screen. But it’s not important that the colors stick out. What’s important is that Barry and Lena stick out together.

P.T. Anderson doesn’t shy away from the symbolism he is famous for. There is a strange incident at the beginning of the film where a piano ends up being left in the street outside of Barry’s work. Barry takes the piano and keeps it in his office. The reason why is unclear, but Anderson wants people talking about the film after leaving the theater. Like a torrential downpour of frogs, the symbolic nature of the piano is something everyone may interpret differently.

When a comedian takes his or her first dramatic role, people tend to praise them for the transition and quality of their performance. What many people don’t realize is how much harder it is to make people laugh rather than cry. Comedies require enormous skill and impeccable timing.

Sure, this is Sandler’s best work to date, but not because it’s his first dramatic piece. Sandler makes a dark, depressing character surprisingly vibrant. We don’t pity Barry — we love him.