Name: Movie Review: Uncut Gems
Item: Uncut Gems
Author: @chekohler

Hey Jessflixers

I happened to login to Netflix and saw them promoting an Adam Sandler movie, and as usual, I checked out the trailer thinking it was going to be another one of his below-par comedies his pushed out in recent years. Apart from his one stand up special I haven't seen this man deliver anything worth watching in a good couple of years.

His comedy fit with a particular era, and it has since past, and I felt he didn't keep up, but that's not to say he wasn't good at what he does. Now back to the movie, well after looking at the trailer I thought I'd give it a shot since I didn't see any aged out slapstick jokes.

Uncut Gems is far from what you're used to from Sandler, It's a drama with a splash of dark comedy and will introduce you to an Adam Sandler you have not seen before.

Poster for Uncut Gems - Image path - Rnews.co.uk/

What is Uncut Gems about?

Uncut Gems centres around a charismatic Jewish New York City jeweller always on the lookout for the next big score. His already balancing keeping his fading marriage together, while having an affair with one of his staff and lives a sort of double life in many ways.

He makes a series of high-stakes bets and leverages cash he doesn't have so 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.

Trailer for Uncut Gems

What I thought of Uncut Gems

You should get your blood pressure meds ready for this one, as the movie puts you in a high stakes position and you're always 1 or less than 1 step ahead of someone trying to wack you or rather the lead taking you through the story.

The major strength and in a way the slight weakness of Uncut Gems is how laser-focused the Safdies are in conveying total anxiety, stress and mania through this extreme act of full cinema sound, it can overwhelm the sense for sure, the score is also not great so it can make it painful to endure at certain parts of the movie. The movie is meant to be an assault on the senses and I can see why it may rub some views the wrong way who don't get this going into the film.

The story plays along at a steady pace and slowly starts to pull you into Howard's double life of being a religious family man and a sleazy degenerate gambler. Howard is such an anti-hero and even though you may hate him for what he does, you still find yourself feeling sorry for him and hoping it all works out for him.

I will say there are some questionable character decisions in the movie and plot lines that are not wrapped up that may annoy you if you like your movies to have conclusions to most if not all you see on screen. Subplots often just die in the whirlwind main story as the movie races to its final conclusion.

My rating for Uncut Gems

The movie is a frantic episode in the life of Howard Ratner that let us imagine that there is more. A descent made of excruciating screams and precious gems, of sketched smiles and nerves on the skin. A well-directed film, better written and very well acted. I am pretty sure this would be an Oscar nod for Sandler as he breaks many perceptions of him with this performance!

I will say I'm glad I never saw this movie in the cinema this is not that type of film, you need to watch it at your own leisure and perhaps take a break in between to make sense of all the chaos. The movie is pretty intense and will draw you in and you never know where it will lead.

I'd have to give this one 7 fake Rolex watches out of 10

More info

IMDB
Rotton Tomatos
Watch Uncut Gems on Netfix

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