Uncut Gems
UNCUT GEMS - A24
Josh and Benny Safdie have officially — and well-deservedly — made a name for themselves among Martin Scorsese and Brian De Palmaas, two of the greatest crime film directors of all time, with the release of their new film Uncut Gems. A well-deserved follow up to 2017’s Good Time, with a subtle and transformative performance by Adam Sandler and great debut performances by NBA all-star Kevin Garnett and newcomer Julia Fox as well as a star-studded supporting cast with the likes of Idina Menzel, Lakeith Stanfield and Judd Hirsch. The film follows Howard Ratner (Sandler), a seedy jeweler with a gambling addiction looking for his next big win as he acquires a rare uncut black opal — in which it’s origins are featured in a grandiose opening scene stunningly shot by cinematographerDarius Khondji — which he plans to auction off with a value of over a million dollars but one thing leads to another as Howard goes around New York placing large bets, slowly digging himself into a deeper hole.
For a while, Sandler has slowly but surely been redeeming himself as an accomplished dramatic actor with films such as Paul Thomas Anderson’s dark romantic comedy Punch-Drunk Love, with the role of ill-tempered novelty salesmen Barry Egan which he clearly channels in the character of Howard, Noah Baumbach’s family study The Meyerowitz Stories (New and Selected) and now Uncut Gems. He has verified that position with an Oscar-calibre role. Adam Sandler’s performance is so transformative yet so subtle that he is barely recognizable, even with a lack of prosthetics and makeup. Throughout the entirety of the film’s two hour and fifteen-minute runtime spent with Howard, he goes through every emotional hurdle imaginable, sending Sandler into the spotlight, and he pulls no punches. The audience can feel every second spent with Howard through every fight, every yell and every hit. The entire runtime of the film is focused on Howard as he goes from one bad decision to another, making anyone watching feel angered and upset at him. However, as many others have pointed out, Sandler has this certain gentle charm he puts into almost every role he does and it leads the audience to feel somewhat more empathic and compassionate towards the character, regardless of all the reprehensible acts he carries out during the film.
The Safdie Brothers return to the director’s chair after their masterful film Good Time and bring their familiar traits from the cinema verité style of filming: the quick and tense pacing and their chaotic and headache-inducing environment that leaves the viewer feeling sick by the time the credits are rolling. All these traits and more is what makes this film so nerve-shattering and immersive. Josh and Benny Safdie have such a defined way of making a heart-racing thriller unlike any others out there today, with a cutthroat style of editing blended with a synth-filled and nerve-wracking electric score — done by Daniel Lopatin — along with an anxiety-inducing, race against the clock style of pacing.
The film is perfectly designed to leave the audience on the edge of their seat and have them loudly exhale by the time the lights go up; the kind of film that immerses the viewer in Howard’s odyssey through New York while he leaves behind a growing trail of bad decisions; the kind of film that practically grabs the viewer by the shoulders, shaking them and screaming right in their face for nearly two and a half hours. Those nearly two and a half hours are well worth the headache and time. The Safdie Brothers prove once again that they are directors unmatched with Uncut Gems, an unforgettable and panic-inducing, neon fever dream of a film that may have even topped Good Time as the pinnacle film of their careers. The cast and crew here are absolutely deserving of every award thrown at them this season.
Uncut Gems is released December 25th in the U.S. and January 31st 2020 in the U.K.