After ending last year with a review of “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker”, I had come to the conclusion that I could only inject that much vitriol into my reviews before being burnt out. After all, I don’t take any sort of pride in playing into the well-worn cliche of the angry, snooty critic, and I am much more genuinely happy to sing praises for remarkable successes in the world of film. As such, I knew I had to avoid recent January releases like the plague, hence the absence of a proper review for the widely-mocked remake of “The Grudge”. Much as I hate to be predictable or trend-chasing, there are times when a critic needs a break from the bad end of the spectrum, especially when they have the option of seeing fantastic movies like “Uncut Gems” in theaters. Released in the middle of December, this film, written and directed by the Sadfie brothers, served as a remarkable introduction to their work for me, and is carried by both the cinematic talents of its directorial duo and the engrossing lead performance of an actor with understated dramatic power- Adam Sandler.
Sandler plays Howard Ratner, a Jewish-American jeweler addled by gambling debts, an encyclopedia’s worth of ego problems and addictions, and a chaotic personal life divided between his soon-to-be ex-wife (Idina Menzel) and his workplace mistress (Julia Fox). The already-harrowing circumstances of Ratner’s line of work come to a head when he obtains a black opal-encrusted rock from an Ethiopian mine and plans to auction it off to rectify his debt to a New York loan shark (Eric Bogosian). What starts out a a simple way to cover his dues with the priceless uncut gem soon becomes a tangled web of sports bets, illicit trading, and interpersonal tensions as Ratner hustles clients, burns bridges and continues to dig himself a deeper hole in pursuit of maximized profits. Struggling inside this web along with the conniving crook is his assistant, Demany (Lakeith Stanfield), who (along with Ratner’s mistress Julia) sees all too well that his employer is struggling with a downward spiral of his own creation.
As Adam Sandler’s presence in “Uncut Gems” is the most readily apparent and widely marketed aspect of the film’s achievements, I think it only prudent to begin this critique by stating outright that he has delivered quite possibly the best performance of his career as Howard Ratner. Though the primarily comedic actor has been (sometimes rightfully) mocked for his low-quality films under the “Happy Madison” production label, I’ve been much less inclined to write him off as a laughing stock due to his genuine talent in the way of more serious, dramatic roles. Films like “Punch-Drunk Love” and “Reign Over Me” have proven his legitimacy as an actor before, but in “Uncut Gems”, he treads into thus-far uncharted territory in his career- the role of a self-defeating, manipulative con artist. Ratner is, in spite of the sympathy elicited from his plight, a thoroughly contemptible man that only escalates his problems and those of the other characters, and Sandler gives the character a much-needed sense of slimy charisma twinged with deep contempt for the people holding his debts over his head. Sandler, in this sense, is the navigator of this film, guiding the audience as they follow his journey into chaotic business transactions and interpersonal manipulations. It should be said, however, that Sandler certainly does not carry this story alone, as the performances across the board are powerfully intense and believable. Highlights of the supporting cast include Lakeith Stanfield as Demany, who makes for a great level-headed straight man to the scheming Ratner escalates, basketball player Kevin Garnet, who plays himself and convincingly acts the part of a victim of conspiracy, and Julia Fox, who turns in a surprisingly sympathetic performance as the object of Ratner’s extramarital affair.
Still, the strengths of this movie certainly don’t begin and end with the performances of its cast. For instance, the direction, cinematography and visual storytelling of “Uncut Gems” are all gloriously sharp and on-point. Hearing that Josh and Benny Safdie are well-versed in high-tension crime movies makes a lot of sense after seeing this film, as the cuts from scene to scene are keenly edited and contribute to an intense, all-encompassing sense of anxiety as the stakes of the film’s narrative rise and rise. One visual element of note is how the film makes use of the titular uncut opal in certain transitions, the details of which I won’t dare spoil since it has to be seen to be truly appreciated. I’m especially astounded by how well the editing and cinematography work on both the momentary and structural levels, since the transitions and cuts are fantastic at creating scene-to-scene tension and at maintaining the thrill of the more harrowing scenes in even the most low-key moments of the story. It’s this sort of consistently gripping atmosphere that makes the plight of the characters, Ratner in particular, all the more compelling in spite of their relative lack of sympathy, and combined with the aforementioned performance of Adam Sandler, aids the audience in being engrossed in his struggles. The cherry on top of this metaphorical tonal sundae is the film’s soundtrack and score by Daniel Lopatin, which combines electronic trills and ambience with African choirs in order to punctuate moments of escalating tension with cinematic flair. This score is wholly unique and deserving of attention in an age where spectacle is favored over melodic nuance. All of this is in service to an expertly written screenplay that sets the stage for sharp character interactions and a narrative rife with scheming, intrigue and thrills. The cinematic and narrative elements thus coalesce into a brilliantly cohesive piece of cinema that grasps the attention of its audience and rarely loses its grip, if at all.
“Uncut Gems”, in other words, is the type of critical darling film that has every reason for its success, and I’ll go so far as to say that its release is nothing short of inspirational. That a film like this, made by two relatively new filmmakers and starring an actor with comedic origins, is getting enough praise to be considered for the Oscars, is a joyful prospect, at least to me, and the film itself is an almost universal success in the world of crime thrillers. If nothing else, it would certainly make the Academy Awards nominations list seem a lot less toothless. See this in theaters while the chance is still there.
Rich Reviews 