The secret behind Adam Sandler’s success as a dramatic actor is that the characters he plays aren’t too far removed from the ones that come out of his Happy Madison production house. With a few tweaks here and there, the character of Howard Ratner in Uncut Gems could’ve been your typical loud, abrasive Sandler character. However, you channel that energy into an absorbing storyline that features some terrific writing and exhilarating direction, and Sandler pulls it off effortlessly. Compare that to someone like Jim Carrey. When he tries to do a complete 180 from his usual persona in his dramatic roles like The Number 23, it sort of all falls apart.
Like Paul Thomas Anderson’s Punch-Drunk Love, The Safdie Brothers’ Uncut Gems understands how to take the bare bones of an Adam Sandler vehicle and graft it onto an arthouse approach. In both cases, they elevate Sandler’s game, not only by the writing and directing, but by carefully choosing the supporting cast. Lakeith Stanfield, Eric Bogosian, Judd Hirsch, Idina Menzel, Julia Fox, and some surprising guest stars playing themselves, all lend Sandler fine support.
To describe the plot would be a disservice to a potential viewer. All I’ll say is that Sandler plays a jeweler up to his eyeballs in gambling debts who is trying to duck some very dangerous loan sharks and leave it at that. The way the Safdies continuously up the ante and raise the stakes (gambling pun not intended, but what the hell) is a marvel of cinematic plate-spinning. Imagine the last act of Goodfellas throughout the entire movie. (Which is fitting, since Martin Scorsese was one of the executive producers.) That’s the level of escalating intensity we’re talking about. By the finale, your heart will be in your throat as the anxiety reaches its apex.
This is some bravura filmmaking.
Gambling is another form of addiction, plain and simple. As someone on the outside looking in, it is the filmmakers’ job to put the audience in the character’s shoes to show them the unfathomable lows and the stratospheric highs that come along with such an addiction. Rationalizing that the reason everything is going wrong is because your big bet hasn’t paid off yet, so you continue to make bet after bet, hoping for a big payday. Naturally, the euphoria that comes along with that giant windfall of cash is short lived as the gambler is all-too eager to bet it once again on a “sure thing”. As an audience member, we are along for the ride as Howard wins, loses, and loses some more, and it is a rollercoaster.
Uncut Gems is a true gem of a movie. It’s a pure shot of cinematic adrenaline. Even those wary of Sandler should give it a whirl. I think he will surprise you.
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