Film Review: Uncut Gems
Credit: A24
By Erik Nielsen
The Safdie Brothers are turning out to be their own slice of authentic New York. The unlikely heirs to the throne that Sidney Lumet and Martin Scorsese have left behind, now have a trilogy of pictures that are a fly on the wall, zipping, anxiety-ridden portraits of devils turned angels in the boroughs of Manhattan, Bronx, and Queens. First, with the heroin-induced Heaven Knows What, then the heist movie on acid that is Good Time starring Robert Pattinson and now Uncut Gems - a film that not only doubles up on its bad behaviors and vices, refusing to let you go once it starts, but also churns out a career-defining performance from its star, Adam Sandler. In an amazingly tense and riveting character study, Uncut Gems is another years best film from indie giant A24.
Sandler is a comedic superstar that has not only made a career out of being a funny man but a uniquely aloof, dumb, broad and violent one. His timing is more Jimmy Caan then it is Will Ferrell. Sandler has made strides as a serious actor before with Punch Drunk and Meyerowitz Stories but both focused more on his lunatic temperament while balancing it out with warmth and charisma. The Safdies do just this as they not only capitalize on his comedic gifts but finally, Sandler relinquishes some of his superstar persona and gives a compelling and complex portrait while undercutting the audience's expectations of his rage. He’s a man who is annoying, charismatic, prone to being stupid, pathetic, rude, but also has a heart. Even his wife (Idina Menzel) tells him, “You are the stupidest and most annoying person I’ve ever met.”
Credit: A24
Like Good Time, Uncut Gems is a film that has an incredible snowball effect of one mistake piling on top of the next as their protagonist tries to navigate the mess he’s created. Harold Ratner (Adam Sandler) is a New York jeweler who has a lying and gambling problem. He has debts all around the city and even when he’s down, he can’t help but place another bet while convincing the receiving party - who is already owed money - to accept his bets because of his goofy charm. We not only see the dangers of harboring a gambling addiction but also the danger and allure of the sports world. But, Ratner has made an incredible discovery - there’s a colony of Jews in Ethiopia mining for diamonds and after making some calls, gets his hands on a beautiful and glowing rare opal diamond. This is where Kevin Garnett comes in. He plays himself and is an incredibly engaging screen presence. The chemistry with him and Sandler was palpable and he certainly has a career in acting if he wants it.
The rest of the film is too good to spoil but at the heart of it is Garnett’s obsession with the diamond, Ratner trying to square his debts and avoid violent thugs (all while placing an insane amount of money on the Celtics) and also maintains an extramarital affair. All of this feels like it’s happening at once. The Safdies move the camera like Robert Altman on speed - the camera constantly pans and glides through tight, glossy interiors (i.e nightclubs, jewelry stores, lavish restaurants) where it feels like every character in the room is talking at once, dialogue constantly being over-cut by another. The set pieces are at once incredibly intimate and small but have a feeling of a bomb set to blow. Characters yelling at each other in tight close-ups as the camera moves and pans across the room from screaming to doorbells buzzing and the phone loudly ringing - the sounds suffocate and rattle your nervous system. This film is an adrenaline shot and will leave you feeling anxious for its entirety.
Credit: A24
The Safdies also create a world that feels autobiographical and true to their experiences as Jews living in New York (the movie features supporting turns from Eric Bogosian and Judd Hirsch (Jewish acting royalty)). The specificity of their sports obsessions give room for levity as they are insightful and hilarious. Like a Jewish family arguing over what New York Knicks owner James Dolan should do - keep Jeremy Lin or Baron Davis? Ratner and Garnett even argue over who would in a fight - Ben Wallace or Tony Allen? Even if their knowledge feels esoteric, the banter that ensues is hilarious.
The directorial duo are not even necessarily concerned with the “why” but instead trap you in the “how” and “what” of Sandlers decision making. He’s an avant-garde gambler, weaving from one bookie to the next, placing a jewel he just borrowed on loan so he can bet the over on Boston, using the money he could pay off his debts with to possibly triple his money. You’re almost in awe of how badly he manages his debts while also staying on top of Vegas’ odds-making.
Credit: A24
The film isn’t driven by plot but Adam Sandlers raw and radiant energy. In one shot he can become the most despicable and annoying character we’ve ever seen him play but then also, a lovable loser who we’re rooting to win. An unlikely anti-hero comes out of this picture and by the end, which feels inevitable, we’re sure that all of his mistakes could not have gone unnoticed.
