UNCUT GEMS (2019)

Directed By: Benny Safdie & Josh Safdie 
Written By: Benny Safdie & Josh Safdie, Ronald Bronstein 
Cinematography: Darius Khondji 
Editor: Ronald Bronstein & Benny Safdie 


Cast: Adam Sandler, Lakeith Stanfield, Eric Bogosian, Idina Menzel, Julia Fox, The Weeknd, Kevin Garnett, Noa Fisher, Keith Williams Richards, John Amos, Judd Hirsch 


From acclaimed filmmakers Josh and Benny Safdie comes an electrifying crime thriller about Howard Ratner, a charismatic New York City jeweler always on the lookout for the next big score. When he makes a series of high-stakes bets that could lead to the windfall of a lifetime, Howard must perform a precarious high-wire act, balancing business, family, and encroaching adversaries on all sides, in his relentless pursuit of the ultimate win.


The film is good and feels similar to their last film GOOD TIME in the fact that they both involve characters who seem to be trimming out of time and are up against grueling times. Which seems endless.

This is a film where Adam Sandler is perfectly cast as he gets to have a hair-trigger temper pick and start fights. As well as yell half his dialogue. Though I will say by playing to his strengths the film offers him a dramatic role that is easy for him to draw into. Even at times show a vulnerability.

Though throughout the film we watch his actions. We never never quite understand his psyche.

It seems like the only time he feels right and successful is when he gambles and wins. As it seems only on the brink of losing everything that once he gets a win does it feel like a true risk and gamble. Like he has earned it. It’s almost like this gambling is his own game or his own sport. Though he is not paying attention to his own safety and might get taken down by those he isn’t even looking at. So he has no defense.

The rush of it all even his affair seems to make him feel alive. So he can have the things he feels he deserves or has been denied. While his gorgeous wife and him are barely on speaking terms. As it seems most nights he escapes to the city to be with his beautiful mistress. Where we can see the temptation.

Luckily for her character she proves to be more than just eye candy and comedic. She actually proves to be important to the story. His wife obviously has moved on mentally from him and had had enough and seems to be around only for the kids. Even though as the film goes on it seems he disillusions one of his children in an instant and his daughter already like the mother seems over him but that could just be teenage detachment anyway.

So that this film feels like a midlife crisis movie of sorts only with bigger stakes. Though another reason for his gambling might be. As when we are introduced to his character he is going through a proctol exam and waiting in the results of his biopsy. Which being close to death might have made him want to have these experiences only more extreme. As throughout the film it seems his behavior has been obvious to his still beautiful wife who seems to actually hate him and we can understand why, but to other members of his family this behavior seems new. Especially as he seems to get more desperate.

The only other member of his family who seems to see this bad side of him seems to be his in-law Arno. Who he owes money to and has gone as far as hiring thugs to pressure and abuse him. Though Arno seems to be a tough guy he always seems on the verge of sympathy for him but seems to be practicing tough love.

Even as the coils get tighter around him he still tries to escape no matter how sharp they are. Always on the edge, as he is always borrowing money to make his bets. He is stealing from peter to pay for paul. As dishonest as he is. It seems the people he chooses to surround himself with in business are usually shady. Though people he thought to trust end up ripping him off. As he is very hard to deal with, but those who he didn’t think were loyal prove to be true to him.

He seems to think he can adapt to anyone but once introduced into other worlds. He sticks out and causes problems. Especially when around celebrities here Kevin Garnett and The Weeknd play versions of themselves one plays himself more flattering the other I am shocked allowed himself to be seen in that kind of way.

After awhile the film gets Anxiety inducing as it takes you to the edge with it and all the Thrills.

At first taking is through the universe through a gem and the fact that miners practically die in these fields trying to find diamonds but the most precious gem throughout is an opal. That everyone wants a piece of and is seen as if value but in the end is kind of undervalued. everyone except for Adam Sandler. Even as he works in the diamond district.

Sandler almost seems to feed off of this as he has a nervous energy but it’s nice to see him be out of control after recently always in his films being in control. Only here he tries to act in control It through actions we can see how wildly he isn’t.

This film like the directors previous film GOOD TIME plays up decisions and consequences and how they can come back to help and to haunt. What is also impressive about the film other then the cast being tight is that most of the actors in the background look and come off as authentic. To the more professional actors credit they fit in naturally with the less seasoned cast members.

The audience knows that this film is a tragedy or that it is coming. We try to keep guessing where it will come from. As the film manages to still shock us. While we root for the main character and really want him to make it even if he is more an anti-hero.

Grade: B+