New York City is featured heavily when it comes to movies, ranging from Avengers related mayhem to a bunch of friends trying to make it in the big city. Of all the parts of New York that get showcased in movies, the Diamond district is severely underrepresented. Grimy but filled with money, more thrillers should be set in this little stretch of Midtown. There was just Marathon Man, but now Uncut Gems? That’s 2 for 2.
The jeweler at the center of Uncut Gems is Howard Ratner (Adam Sandler). As we follow him around his day to day activity, we quickly realize that Howard’s jeweler job, wife Dinah (Idina Menzel), and family life mean nothing to him. Howard comes alive through gambling, living for that rush, including taking up a mistress, Julia (Julia Fox). Like many gambling tales, Howard has played too lose with his money, racking up a hefty bill with local bookie Arno (Eric Bogosian). Desperate for an edge, he shows Kevin Garnett (playing himself) his latest Opal from Ethiopia, which Garnett is drawn to. Even though this uncut gem is up for auction in 2 days, Howard lends him the Opal so he can use his insider tips to get his latest gambling fix: Boston to win and KG and the over.
Uncut Gems works because of the feelings and style generated by the Safdie Brothers. By walking us through Howard’s day, the movie takes on this frantic propulsion when Howard’s gambling. Within 15 minutes of screen time, we’re introduced to 5 or 6 characters, each with their own separate storylines revolving around Howard, while Howard wanders around the Diamond District. Even watching a basketball game at home is restless, as Howard is obsessed with counting the points and rebounds. His mind is racing so fast he has no time to even put his kid to sleep, or listen to anything Dinah has to say. Clearly too, Howard rides that ecstasy of the win into his love life, calling Julia immediately after a win and sexting her. The Safdies also brilliantly use that propulsion against Howard when things go bad. That wheeling and dealing generates questions and follow ups, and when you lose more than you win like Howard does, people are at least inconveniencing, and at worst life threatening. Downtime for Howard is rock bottom, which is where the people in his life come in. No, not people he loves, but people there to make him feel better so he can get back on the coaster. These people are here to keep Howard from introspection, which Uncut Gems pushes us toward as Howard’s support system is clearly on its last legs at the start of the movie.
At this point in his career, Adam Sandler’s best attempt at a serious film was either Punch Drunk Love or Funny People. Uncut Gems blows those performances out of the water. Sandler is spectacular here, playing a scumbag who’s too busy to notice. Sandler plays Howard like a guy who thinks he belongs at the big boys table, and finds out often that he’s squeezed out, and the people he provides for are “ungrateful” towards him, taking but never giving. Doing normal things, Sandler plays Howard like a man selling his family on being a family man, but the minute Howard gets a whiff of the gambler’s rush, Sandler goes into frantic giddy teenage boy excitement. Sandler’s also excellent at smarming his way out of paying his lenders, often projecting his skeezy behavior right back onto them. Surrounding Sandler are a series of unexpectedly great actors who rise to the occasion (the exception being Lakeith Stanfield…he’s ALWAYS great). Queen Elsa herself, Idina Menzel, is great playing a Jewish princess. From the sports world, radio announcer Mike Francesa and Kevin Garnett are basically playing themselves, but both are already characters so that fits. Keith Williams Richards, Tommy Kominik, and Eric Bogosian are terrific as the brains and muscle Howard is lending to. The big breakout though besides Sandler is Julia Fox, in her first feature ever. Sexy but hardened, she fits right in among this group of power hungry power brokers, using her wiles and fire personality to attract not only Howard, but The Weeknd.
I wanted to take a shower after I watch Uncut Gems. I felt dirty from the immoral activity Howard gets us into, and I was sweaty from all the tense situations we get put into. The Safdie Brothers and Adam Sandler make for a special pairing. Also thanks to Uncut Gems, I’m ready for the spinoff where Kevin Garnett and Lakeith Stanfield go jewelry shopping and city hopping together. As Jalen Rose said, let’s call the movie “Champagne and Campaign.”