Uncut Gems

Score:  C

Directed by Josh and Benny Safdie
Starring Adam Sandler, Julia Fox, Lakeith Steinfeld, Idina Menzel
Running time: 135 minutes
Rated R

Long Story Short:  Uncut Gems sees comedy king Adam Sandler turn to darker, grittier material in the story of a gambler's downward spiral.  He does very good work - it helps that he seems well-suited to the lead role - but the filmmakers fail to create any redeeming value in this realistic yet intensely unpleasant work.  There are surely better options for whatever kind of movie you're in the mood for.  Skip.


Howard (Sandler), a New York jewelry dealer, is in the red yet feels that he has finally struck real gold.  A months-long process has put him in possession of a rare and dazzling black opal, still encased in the hunk of rock in which it was found in Africa.  When a co-worker brings in basketball star Kevin Garnett, the man is transfixed by the treasure.  Howard sees his opportunity, and puts in motion a plan to make a small fortune.  However, his shady creditors lurk around every corner, impatient to settle up - and as they get wind of their debtor's secrets, things get deadly serious.

Uncut Gems has a small cast, built around the driving performance of the lead.  Adam Sandler takes a turn away from his usual crappy comedies for a dark and dramatic role, and he shows that he has impressive talent (at least in the right situation).  Sandler's acting is far and away the best part of the film, an intensely vile and unlikable - yet equally convincing - man who seeks redemption yet is clearly incapable of it.  A moron and an asshole, Howard's advantages are his persistence and skill with manipulation.  Sandler puts to use his well-practiced shouting (by turns unintelligible and laced with the F-word every two seconds) and quieter but equally grating begging and cajoling.  It's all very unpleasant - like the film itself - but at least he's the perfect actor for the job, and makes it feel quite real.  Veterans Steinfeld and particularly Menzel (playing Howard's estranged wife) both do good work, too.  But it's newbies Fox, as Howard's employee/mistress, Julia, and Garnett, playing himself, who impress the most, due to having more crucial roles and excelling despite their lack of experience.

Uncut Gems is a fairly well-crafted film, to go along with some good performances - but it's also one of the most unpleasant films I've ever seen, particularly because it's ultimately pointless.  Howard is an extremely flawed character who has quite a few bad experiences, largely of his own making.  This would seem to lend itself to a redemption story - even if Howard doesn't become a better man or triumph over adversity, at least there should be movement in the right direction, becoming a tragedy.  But no, Howard doesn't seem to learn a thing or become better in any way; if anything, he gets worse as the film goes along (as does his predicament - at least that's appropriate).  So... I guess it's all one big PSA about the dangers of gambling?  I mean, Howard is just so awful and stupid it makes your head want to explode, in both his personal and professional life (poor Julia gets it in both worlds).  The one positive is that the film does feel like a realistic portrayal of New York's sleazier corners; Howard's not the only one who does dumb things, and the confusion and emotion is interesting at times.  There's also plenty of shouting - often multiple people at once, so you can't tell what anyone is saying - filled with cursing.  I can totally buy this as realistic, again, but also a bit headache-inducing and while I have a moderate tolerance for the F-word, it started to bother me.  The soundtrack is also very bizarre, a lot of electronics and 80s or sci-fi feel; it's also loud and obtrusive, particularly in the first part of the film, and thus adding yet another layer of unpleasantness.  Notice a theme here?

***

Uncut Gems is one film that I wish I had done a bit more research on before going to see.  Generally I like to know as little going into seeing a film as possible, so that I can have a fresh perspective and few expectations.  As this film is in the Oscars/awards conversation, I wanted to check it out.  Now, I want to know why it's considered in the realm of good films at all.  It has a bewildering 92% on Rotten Tomatoes currently, so I'll be checking out at least a few critics' reviews to try and find what the hell I'm missing.  In the mean time, I can't recommend this to anyone - unless you happen to be in a sadistic (perhaps even masochistic) mood and want to see an asshole get his just desserts.




* By Source (WP:NFCC#4), Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=61865131