Uncut Gems Review:
- Half Glass Guy
- Dec 30, 2019
- 5 min read
Howard: “This is me. This is how I win.”
Indeed, how I never thought in my lifetime I would see Adam Sandler do such things like getting caught up with a dangerous mob and bet over basketball games with Kevin Garnett, and potentially portray a character so down on his luck that he has to literally gamble everything just to break even. I had heard about Uncut Gems (2019) way back near the beginning of 2019, I found myself eagerly awaiting for this film because of the greatly positive reviews that were coming out of festivals. Critics calling it film of the year and how Adam Sandler was going to shock people by how incredible he is. And yeah, I agree wholeheartedly that this is one of the better films of this year, and probably Sandler’s best performance of his career. But not just him though, but the entire cast sells this film. Also, the scarily true-to-life narrative Uncut Gems contains is what makes it stand out the most. After watching I was overwhelmed and glad to make it through because if there is one word to describe Uncut Gems, its anxiety. That is how I felt watching this entire film.
Uncut Gems is about Howard (aka Adam Sandler), a diamond store owner who likes to place bets on high end jewelry and money that is not his, but tends to lose most of the time, causing a lot of trouble with many individuals. But when Howard gets his long awaited opal, things start to change for good because a famous basketball player, Kevin Garnett, comes into his shop and sees the gem and wants to own it since the it makes him play better on the court. When this happens, Howard places bets on Garnett’s stat lines and his championship ring as an attempt to make some money back for the people he owed. Howard continuously throughout this narrative is seen as a person who has some issues, but we do emphasize with him because of the consistent struggles he comes across.
Adam Sandler is phenomenal in this film. He carries the entirety of it and truly disappears into this character making it his own. Sandler has a charm to him and does understand comedy quite well, and when he does a turn like this and stars in a drama about gems, it brings out the best of both worlds. I think Sandler can be a terrific actor in general, while he has only starred in a few roles that were dramas, it’s always nice to see him do roles like these. I always think of Robin Williams and his turn to drama. Sandler does like making the cheap comedies where he looks dumb, but I think his career can make a resurgence here with Uncut Gems. Much like Punch-Drunk-Love (2002) Sandler balances comedy with dramatic, and that is what makes the best performance. We saw Williams win an Academy Award doing that and while Sandler may not win or get nominated, this performance will stand in time because of his dedication to the character and this story.
The script here is one of the best I have seen all year. While it should come as no surprise, but this film contains the word “f**k” in about every other sentence. Depending on who is watching, it might be a turn off. It is so east coast personalities that I felt it is pretty respectable for the Safdie Brothers to include such a cruel way of living mixed in with how the story unfolds. Describing just how forbidding this world can actually be. Making a film that took nearly a decade to make, these brothers clearly did not want to exclude anything. That is what is truly unique about Uncut Gems. There is so much to take in, the Safdie’s did not have a formula to follow, they just had a vision and executed it with their writing and directing.
They excel even with the camera as well. It is gorgeous cinematography, their zooms and their style fits exceptionally well with the high-octane, apprehension-filled experience. The acting comes out brilliantly, since the Safdie’s want to put the spotlight on their actors. They mostly have their faces within frame and one can always tell that these characters feel unease. The Safdie’s also show quite a bit of color in the film too. They show many different and colorful settings, and also showing the specific gem in many altered colors as well. Again, the film is smart with its choices because of the Safdie’s and their vision. And there is even a moment where Howard describes the gem and saying, “you can see the entire universe while looking in some say.” That is how one could interpret this film, there are colors everywhere just like this gem. As if the world of the film is the inside of the gem, because it makes people do foolish things just to have some form of satisfaction or reward.
That is one element I would like to stay on topic here, which is the overall message. Sandler studied many gambler addicts and how they destroyed their whole life because of stupid bets or bets that just did not work out. You see this in Howard, how an audience can tell he is trying to be a semi decent father, but the bigger hole one digs, the harder it is to get out and actually settle down. Sandler portrays this man as frequently busy and on the go. Like he cannot stand still for one moment. That to me is particularly frightening because he got to a point where there was literally no way out. That is what happens to gamblers. Gamblers play high risk, high reward games, some pan out, but most often it doesn’t. And with the ending to this film, it literally gives a poetic conclusion that could be seen as predictable, but in the long run realism is what makes Uncut Gems accomplished and well earned. A tale that many should see due to the dangerous worlds of diamonds and gambling, and just how far people can be pushed.
I find this film quite astonishing, but rewatch value may be a bit too much. The experience I had during it was so anxiety-filled that I have to mentally prepare myself to go down that road again. That may be the one concern here. I advise people to see it but understand that Safdie’s have crafted a retro feeling kind of film here. It takes its time in the beginning, and wants to show the audience the dismay of living through the lifestyle of these kinds of individuals. It’s well-executed, intensely acted and luminously effective. Uncut Gems really is a gem that is uncut and awaiting for your attention. But be warned at your own cost because in the end we do make cautious gambles, but how far are you willing to go to win big?
Rating: A
Run Time: 2 Hours 15 Minutes
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