A24
When you think of Adam Sandler, you often think of a few good comedies like Billy Madison and Happy Gilmore. I bet you think of more mediocre films like Grown Ups and Jack and Jill. Sandler has made a career at making silly comedies that often don’t impress people. My favorite movies of his include Billy Madison, Happy Gilmore, Big Daddy, The Waterboy, and the The Wedding Singer, but those came out years ago. In 2002 he surprised us with a dramatic role in Punch Drunk Love directed by Paul Thomas Anderson. Now in the year 2019, we get another dramatic role that may get him an Oscar nomination. That would be so weird to hear.
Adam Sandler stars as Howard in Uncut Gems. A charismatic New York jeweler who is always looking for the next big score. He comes across a rare gem that land him in a great spot with people he owes money to. Instead of making the right choice, Howard uses that gem to make big bets, which only makes matters worse for him.
The Safdie Brothers, who previously directed Robert Pattison in Good Time, bring on a unique cast. Kevin Garnett, a former NBA player, stars as himself alongside Lakeith Stanfield and Idina Menzel. Popular R&B singer The Weeknd is even in this film. Uncut Gems has such an odd cast, but they all come together to make one of the year’s best films.
The Safdie Brothers created such a fast-paced hectic film that feels so quick even though it is 2 hours and 15 minutes. Much like Good Time, the movie constantly keeps moving. The setting, characters, and situations Howard is in fits the pacing perfectly. Howard is a smooth talker. He can talk his way out of any predicament he is in or buy himself more time to get money. Adam Sandler was the perfect pick to play Howard. He can match the pacing of the film and keep up with it, which always makes the film entertaining. This is the best I’ve seen Adam Sandler in a movie. His charismatic performance is also met with a few emotional moments when he knows he messed up. I would love to see Sandler nominated for an Academy Award, but I bet it won’t happen.
Sports can be tense. Especially during a playoff game or when there is a lot on the line. Howard uses money to bet on basketball games rather than paying off his debt. When we get to see the games Howard bet on, the movie becomes tense as well. It becomes even more tense since we know what situation Howard is in. Howard is constantly putting himself in the worst situations, so the movie always remains tense.
Uncut Gems is one of the best movies of the year. It offers such quick entertaining moments with a career-best performance from Adam Sandler. The Safdie Brothers brought on a great cast, who were all so different from each other and gave us a thrill ride that will be remembered for years!
Uncut Gems has a run time of 2 hours 15 minutes and is rated R for pervasive strong language, violence, some sexual content and brief drug use.
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