(This is Uncut Gems film review, which is a crime thriller film that stars the famous comedy actor Adam Sandler)
Adam Sandler, the poster guy for many B-rated American comedies did something very unexpected in this film. For once, Uncut Gems reveals that he himself is truly a gem in disguise when it comes to playing something beyond what he’s famous for.
It is directed by Josh and Benny Safdie and features Adam Sandler, Lakeith Stanfield, Julia Fox, Kevin Garnett, Idina Menzel, and Eric Bogosian. Without further ado, let’s delve into the raw Uncut Gems film review below!
Premise
A Jewish American jeweller is trying to pay off his debt with an opal that he got from Africa, however, things did not go his way and life started to be tangled with bunch of mess and enemies that could kill him at any time. Will he survive and paid off his debt in the end?
Uncut Gems Film Review
Premise
The premise itself is actually not overly complicated and is based very heavily on reality of life. However, it manages to create a very tense atmosphere with the way the story turns and twists. There are not many big twists to be found, but because the premise is already so rooted in depicting some realism with exaggeration, it does not matter much. Overall, it’s a decent premise, but the ending was a bit sudden and controversial for me, as it played off sort of like an art film, which I don’t really like, but in this case, it fits a bit.
Also, it does not provide much room for other side characters to shine, as it focuses a lot, like 90%, on only the main character.
Pacing
Pacing is super tight and fast paced, with things flowing non stop with only some quiet moments that don’t last long. The pacing really depicts the anxiety of the main character’s life very well, as I even felt the same emotion that evoked from his encounters with bad luck and enemies. Though, I felt that the pacing was a bit too fast to my liking, as it killed off any chances for me to really empathise with the characters as too many things are happening at once. But perhaps this is what the Directors have always intended in the first place.
Characters
Truth be told, Adam Sandler can be said to single handedly save the whole film from a great flop. His way of acting out his characters is so different from his usual fares. And the was really into it, that I felt I am watching a totally different person. Adam’s characters are shown 90% of the time, and he was always the main focus in the film. The way the main character was shown made us feel both pity and also disgust, a role so contrasting that I could say it was only due to the masterful acting by the actor himself. And it also shows how no one is perfect, even when they think it is.
Other characters did not have much chance to shine, or be empathised with, and though they are not entirely one-dimensional, they feel really bland compared to the main character. This goes for both the supporting characters as well as the antagonists, which was only barely decent. All in all, you watch this film for Adam Sandler and nobody else, as he is the uncut gems here among rocks.
One cool thing in this movie is the appearances of many famous stars such as The Weeknd and Kevin Garnett, the NBA star, as themselves in several scenes, especially the latter where he becomes the supporting side character too.
Soundtrack
The soundtrack is pretty decent and evokes the feeling of anxiousness as well as addiction to gambling by the main character, where they evoke the feeling of being hypnotic and then also ecstasy, just like the feeling of gambling.
