‘This is me! This is how I win…’
There are two sides to Adam Sandler. There is the guy who makes goofy, harmless comedies with his buddies and there is the serious actor with a knack for choosing interesting roles. Punch Drunk Love, Reign Over Me and The Meyerowitz Stories are all examples of successful Sandler performances and Uncut Gems is perhaps his best work yet…
Howard Ratner is a fast-talking New York City jeweller who is under pressure from all sides; his wife hates him, his mistress brings trouble and he owes money all over town. I spent most of the first half trying to figure out if Ratner is supposed to be a likeable character. Adam Sandler can do likeable standing on his head, but Howard Ratner is a bit of a jackass. What I eventually realised is that it doesn’t matter. Uncut Gems‘ strength comes from the build up of tension that culminates in a final scene that I found incredibly stressful to sit through. While I wouldn’t go as far as to say I was rooting for Sandler’s character, I did end up being kind of on his side by the end, and it is in that final thirty minutes where Uncut Gems really shines.
Directors Benny and Josh Safdie have a distinctive style, a gritty realism that is affecting but never showy and this allows Sandler to really shine in the central role. That being said, the whole thing is too long and nobody in the supporting cast really comes close to matching Sandler’s startling intensity. On the whole, Uncut Gems is compelling enough and unique enough to make it worthwhile.
Through this movie, Sandler is now recieving the plaudits that his acting ability so richly deserves. It will be intriguing to see where both he, and the Safdie brothers go next. Either way, I’m in.