Adam Sandler, the golden boy of the bad American comedy, has a very particular and perhaps a little problematic brand. He projects a specific type of masculinity on screen with his roles; he’s the loser who still gets the prettiest girl in town, an absolutely horrible person who is somehow still rewarded for being so horrible. He’s a little sleazy, thoroughly unpleasant and altogether cringe-worthy, at least in his roles.
It takes a lot of talent, and most definitely balls, to take Sandler and his screen persona and turn it upside down, use it to your advantage and almost against Sandler himself. It’s a genius move from Josh and Benny Safdie, the director brothers behind the feverish crime flick Good Time. Uncut Gems is a breathless film; it will literally take your breath away. It’s almost panic attack -inducing and at the very least, heart-rate increasingly tense, a viscerally physical cinema experience. You are not prepared for this.
Diamond Furbies And Debts
Sandler plays Howard Ratner, a jewellery salesman and a man with a serious gambling addiction. He may be toting around expensive gold-and-diamond-covered Furbies to impress people, but the behind the scenes, Howard’s world is crumbling. Howard owes a lot of people a lot of money and hustles his way from day ‘til night, trying to avoid debt collectors. Eventually, Howard gets in a little too deep and has to find a considerable amount of money quickly, before he’s done for good.
There is very little that I can say about Uncut Gems that’ll do justice to the film, because this isn’t so much a film about just a single theme or the narrative, but a film about filmmaking and how those choices make or break the experience. The narrative comes second here; this is a film that’s much more about the experience and the very nature of Howard Ratner as a character. It’s a film that’ll make you clench your buttocks and squeeze those armrests a little too tight, without ever resorting to big, flashy action sequences. The intensity of the film is all in the filmmaking, the editing, the cinematography. Uncut Gems is a masterclass in filmmaking, a whole film degree on its own.
Sandler, as stated before, turns in his finest performance. It takes a lot of courage these days to play a character as unpleasant as Howard, but the Safdies fully lean into Sandler’s own, general unpleasantness. This isn’t to criticise Sandler’s personality, I’m sure he’s a lovely man, but his role choices have been troublesome and there’s definitely a type there. So to recognise that potential and tap into it is an impressive feat from the Safdies and Sandler is more than up for the challenge and is completely fearless on screen.
Sandler shows he can still command the screen and even though you hate him, really hate him, you still want to see him come out on the other side. Howard might be a terrible person, but he is also a buffoon, quite a lovable one. Even though Howard at times comes across as a caricature, the character is based on very recognisable human flaws. Uncut Gems is a deeply hilarious film and Sandler has plenty of comedic skills and great timing, but he also underlines his performance with profound sadness. Howard is ultimately a very tragic character. Regardless of the film’s story and conclusion, Howard wouldn’t be happy, because he’s, by nature, toxic and self-sabotaging and can’t help himself.
All Elements Coming Together
If there’s a fault in Uncut Gems, it’s that the Safdies have cast Idina Menzel as Howard’s gorgeous wife but she is utterly under-utilised. Menzel brings much pathos to her character Dinah and every scene between her and Sandler’s Howard is filled with regret and hatred for each other. Lakeith Stanfield also flies under the radar here as one of Howard’s associates. Stanfield is one of the most magnetic actors working today, but much like in Knives Out, he isn’t allowed to shine here.
The Safdies didn’t have much to prove after the critically acclaimed Good Time, but Uncut Gems raises the bar for them once again. Their impressive skills are matched by those around them; cinematographer Darius Khondji frames every tightly and there’s rarely room to breathe in the frame. Khondji keeps the camera in constant motion and the editing by Ronald Bronstein and Benny Safdie is equally fast and dirty. This isn’t a polished film in any way, it’s grimy and a little dirty. All the elements together create a fast-paced crime thriller, which defies all audience expectations as well as genre-conventions.
Uncut Gems might be much more accessible than Good Time, although it did feature Robert Pattinson, but it’s still a way from being mainstream cinema. Uncut Gems is undoubtedly a challenging film, but also a fascinating one. It’s a film that I enjoyed tremendously, but don’t want to watch again. Not because it’s bad or has nothing to offer the second time around, but because it’s a lot at once. It’s an exhausting experience to go through, even if it’s a rewarding one.
Uncut Gems – Yay Or Nay?
Uncut Gems is powerful, almost masterful filmmaking from Josh and Benny Safdie. It features a career-best and completely self-aware performance from Adam Sandler and even if the supporting cast are under-used, they round out the film nicely.
The film is at its best for the first time around, but Uncut Gems is without a doubt a film that keeps giving. While it’s helplessly a film about absolutely nothing, it’s fuelled by Sandler’s fearless performance and his willingness to go with the craziness the Safdie’s throw at him.
What did you think of Uncut Gems? Let us know in the comments!
Uncut Gems will get a limited release on December 13th before hitting Netflix on December 25th.
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