Uncut Gems
Starring: Adam Sandler, LaKeith Stanfield, Kevin Garnett, Julia Fox
Directed By: Josh and Bennie Safdie
Rated: R
“K.G.! I’m going all in, K.G.! Going all-in on a Celtics win. Let me show you this opal, K.G. It’s worth a million dollars!”- Adam Sandler through 90% of this movie.
This information might shock you, but Uncut Gems is not a movie about Adam Sandler, Kevin James, Chris Rock, and David Spade on the hunt for magical gems during a family vacation where crude jokes are abundant, but no laughs escape the audience. Nor is it a quirky rom-com where Adam Sandler and Jennifer Aniston try to find a million-dollar gem in Hawaii and fall in love in the process. This is a tense thriller that throws the viewer into the world of Howie Bling, a jeweler from New York who lives in a world of chaos. I can’t believe I’m saying this, but Adam Sandler is great in this movie. Maybe the key all along was taking him out of comedy and making him work in a drama.
If you’re familiar with the work of directors Josh and Bennie Safdie (Good Time), you know the tone of their films have a highly heightened sense of anxiety running through every scene. Uncut Gems builds a sense of extreme tension from the first frame that never lets up until the credits roll. Following Howard’s life is like spiraling into a web of chaos. Every decision he makes is downright baffling from his messed up personal life to bad business deals. I was ready to get up and yell at the screen “PLEASE JUST STOP AND THINK ABOUT YOUR CHOICES FOR TWO SECONDS!” The directorial choices reflect his spiraling. The sets (from the jewelry store to a nightclub) are extremely claustrophobic to reflect the chaos of Howard’s circumstances. The Safdies excel in making you feel like you’re on a rollercoaster ride that keeps going. Maybe Howard will make one good decision that will slow the ride down, or maybe he’ll keep messing up, and the adrenaline won’t stop.
I have been less than impressed with Adam Sandler’s career lately. Sure, he has some funny movies, but his Netflix work isn’t exactly what one would call an acting showcase. Due to his many misses lately, I remained skeptical about all of the critical praise he was getting for Uncut Gems. I was wrong because this is like watching a different person. He completely transforms into another individual as Howard, the con jeweler. Gone is the middle-school boy humor and “vacation movies” that are supposed to serve as entertainment (looking at you, Grown Ups franchise.) Howard’s life is a complete wreck. It might look nice with his jeweler business, but his marriage to Dina (Idina Menzel) is falling apart. He’s in a bizarre co-dependent relationship with his employee, Julia (Julia Fox). Plus, he has a severe gambling addiction. Howard really needs some help.
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Other actors who stand out in the film are LaKeith Stanfield and Kevin Garnett. LaKeith Stanfield is Demany, a recruiter who tries to get high profile athletes and celebrities to KMH Jewelers. You’re never sure if you can trust Demany or not as he makes his way around the city, dodging Howard’s calls. One of his high-profile recruits is Kevin Garnett, playing himself. I never knew Kevin Garnett could act, but he is quite good on screen! Half of the film revolves around Garnett borrowing an expensive opal gem from Howard that may or may not bring good luck. Does it work? That’s for you to find out, but it’s quite a ride.
While the ride is a rollercoaster from start to finish, I found the ending of Uncut Gems to be a bit too abrupt. A secondary character makes a decision that comes out of nowhere and is played for shock value. While it certainly keeps the anxiety at a high, it leads to a rushed ending and left me questioning the character's motivation. It was just an odd decision that felt more like a shocking plot twist instead of an earned ending.
Uncut Gems is a brutally tense thriller that showcases one of Adam Sandler’s best performances in years. You’ll be on the edge of your seat for this wild ride.
My Rating: 7/10