A charismatic jeweller makes a high-stakes bet that could lead to the windfall of a lifetime. In a precarious high-wire act, he must balance business, family and adversaries on all sides in pursuit of the ultimate win.
Adam Sandler has become an increasingly contentious actor for me in recent years. While I enjoyed his earlier works when I was younger, his style of films has become increasingly stale and repetitive. This has led to a negative connotation to most films his production company has churned out. To that end, it's important to stipulate that Uncut Gems is not a film produced by Adam Sandler. He is the star of the film, but his only role is that of the actor. So technically, despite what looks like a typical unlikeable Adam Sandler character in the trailers, this is not an Adam Sandler film. This is actually a film by the Safdie Brothers, and what Josh and Benny Safdie do best, provide depth and nuance to unlikeable characters.
One of their earlier films, Good Time, managed a similar feat with a low-life criminal (played by Robert Pattinson) and became an indie hit. Combine all of this information with the fact that it is an A24 Studios production (the studio responsible for Midsommar, Gloria Bell, Hereditary, Amy, Lady Bird, Moonlight, The Killing of a Sacred Deer, and many more), there are enough indicators of quality to overpower the abrasive stink of Adam Sandler.
I have always been a firm believer that successful comedians are intimately aware of how far they can push an audience on a topic, a skill that transfers well to creating emotionally compelling dramatic performances. Whether it be Marlon Wayans in Requiem For A Dream, Seth Rogen in Steve Jobs, Eddie Murphy in Dreamgirls, or Jim Carrey in Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, comedians in dramatic roles provide a treasure trove of engaging films.
Adam Sandler pulls off what is likely his best performance in the last two decades. His role as the main character, Howard Ratner, is breathtaking as he does not allow the audience a chance to breathe. His own worst enemy--both protagonist and antagonist--he creates a litany of conflict and tension through his own actions and poor judgement calls. A jeweller with a gambling problem, his addiction leaves him forever wanting to maximise his bank balance, to prove he knows more about sports than the betting agencies.
From the abrupt opening scenes, the audience is thrown into a state of disarray, with no option but to watch our main character try to find a way out of a hole by digging deeper, finding ways out, but continually digging deeper. All in the hopes of succeeding in being justifying his troubles with a big win. Howard is never likeable as a character; abrupt, condescending, narrow-minded, yet simultaneously weak-willed and spineless, there is a constant sense of desperation that leaves the audience pitying his character on his way to self-destruction.
Brilliantly paced, the tension never lets up. Characters are constantly in heated arguments, yelling over each other, threatening each other with physical harm, and the conflict leads to risky decisions being made. Like watching a man drowning, there is a sense of wonder as we watch a situation where the sensible options are never even considered.
Uncut Gems has a very particular visual look, with blue highlights and high contrast, creating a period look with a cold atmosphere in the jeweller's workplace. Cinematography is reasonably similar to the style on the Safdie Brothers other films (especially when it comes to aerial shots of vehicles on the roads), utilising smooth movements and tracking shots to push that unnerving sense of never-ending movement to the extreme.
A blue-collar adaptation to The Wolf of Wall Street, Uncut Gems is strenuous and exhausting, playing on your nerves and never letting you rest. A spectacular performance from Adam Sandler, with an exquisite display from Julia Fox in a supporting role (her feature film debut). Well worth checking out.