Uncut Gems
Title: Uncut Gems
Year: 2019
Director: Josh & Benny Safdie
Writers: Ronald Bronstein, Josh Safdie, Benny Safdie
Cast:
Adam Sandler as Howard Ratner
Julia Fox as Julia De Fiore
Idina Menzel as Dinah Ratner
LaKeith Stanfield as Demany
Keith William Richards as Phil
Synopsis
With his debts mounting and angry collectors closing in, a fast-talking New York City jeweler risks everything in hope of staying afloat and alive. -IMDB
Intro + Pre-show expectations
Unfortunately, this is a rewatch for me because I watched it at the CMNSU movie night which anyone reading this who attends SFU should totally come to next time! There is food, drinks, cool people, and a good movie to go with it. So come out and hangout!
SPOILERS BELOW. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED
Spoiler review and discussion.
Uncut Gems is a high-energy 135-minute rollercoaster that does not slow down for a single second. It is stressful from the first scene and continues building on that stress and anxiety until it reaches a fever pitch. Though Uncut Gems for one reason or another is a very polarizing film it still delivers fantastic performances from the bottom to the top while also staying incredibly engaging.
Performances
Performances have to be the strongest element of this film. In fact, it would be a valid argument to claim that the performances make the film what it is. Adam Sandler puts in arguably his strongest performance of his entire career as the loud, high-stakes gambler, enormous risk-taking New York jeweler, Howard Ratner. Sandler in a serious role always feels slightly off as most people have a very casual preconceived notion about him which works to his character's benefit.
All things considered, Howard Ratner is not a good person. He lies to everyone including his wife and children, he manipulates everybody in his life to his benefit and seemingly does not know when enough is enough. But the fact Adam Sandler is in this role the audience does not see Howard for what a dingus pingus he actually is the entire film. We see Howard the same way we would see Sandler in this situation, we award him the benefit of the doubt and somehow get us to root for him, despite the fact he does not deserve the support of the audience. Julia Fox also put in such a strong performance that it is hard to believe this was her first film. I do not believe anybody else could have brought so much life to her character. The conflict between her and Howard was perfect as a secondary conflict in the narrative that added just enough stress to intermittently stress the audience out. That fight she had with Howard outside the nightclub felt incredibly realistic and that alone was enough evidence to prove she killed the role. And last but not least, Kevin Garnett. Josh and Bennie Safdie have a unique talent for getting individuals to perform extremely well in their films regardless of their backgrounds. Garnett is not a professional actor by any means but still plays his character quite convincingly character in his minor role that is worth mentioning.
My Final Take
Uncut Gems is an incredibly solid film, nothing more nothing less. It is thrilling for nearly the entire runtime and delivers some interesting themes surrounding addiction and materialism. Howard's downward spiral in his pursuit of materialistic gain along with his stubborn personality makes him erratic and unreliable. Paired with his toxic love life and his obnoxious style of doing business the film can be very, very stressful.
There is also something to be said about the filmmaking style of the Safdie brothers. The sound design and stylistic design of the shots are used to help add to this feeling of anxiety. The camera is rarely static, shots are quick and cuts are even quicker. It is rare for one character to be speaking at a time, rather it is always a combination of characters yelling at one another as some other equally distracting interruption is happening simultaneously. Not to mention the added sounds of the city of New York add to the loud chaotic nature of the film and render the few moments of silence far more intimate and significant.
However, in truth, it is the performances that make this film what it is. Sandler, Fox, Stanfield, and even Garnett bring this film to life. Of course, the writing is high quality and there was a noticeable amount of thought put into the filmmaking to create a distinct feeling to the film, however, it is the performances that draw the audience into the film.
Uncut Gems is nothing to write home about nor is it something that has no substance. It is perfect for what it is, a stressful standalone film with some great acting and a unique setting that is decent to watch alone or in a group.
Score
Writing: 7.8/10
Style: 8/10
Performance: 10/10
Direction: 8.5/10
Cinematography: 7/10
Total: 41.3/50
