Uncut Gems, An Enrapturing Account of a Man Destroying Himself

New York City’s milieu within the Diamond District has never been captured with such audacity and authenticity before.  This fast-paced and frenetic world is what defines and fuels every scheme, gamble, and crooked line made by Howard Ratner (Adam Sandler) in his pursuit for the next big rush. He triumphantly claims “this is how I win,” as if the next big winning sports bet will be the one that pulls him away from his ever-increasing debts. Yet with all the people after Howard for their money, he is a man who, first and foremost, excels off the bounties capitalism provides him. He owns and manages a successful jewelry shop where sports stars such as Kevin Garnett shop and provide him more fuel to lay down those high-risk bets. Armed with a pair of Cartier rimless glasses, a Salvatore Ferragamo belt, and a sleazy goatee, Howard proudly marches through the Diamond District as a man who is ahead of the game, chasing the next big win that will let him leave the bookmaking world once and for all. But as we follow his escapades, both the audience and Howard realize nothing else in the world is going to match that uproarious gambling high.

Directors Josh and Benny Safdie follow up their acclaimed Good Time, with a meticulous and precarious high-wire act that never stops pulsating the heart. It’s an anxiety attack that makes you shake your head and viscerally hate every bad decision made by Howard. This is because the Safdies and their co-writer Ronald Bronstein make you fall in love with Howard and his antics in such a profound way that you actively want to participate in ensuring Howard has a happy ending. He becomes a character who the audience sees as heavily flawed but easily lovable, as he’s a man who is loyal to his family, his wife, his girlfriend, and a black opal he just got his hands on. He’s a walking contradiction who not only enraptures the ones around him, but also the audience who are slowly watching him destroy his life.

Shot on glorious 35mm, the Safdies in tandem with their Cinematographer Darius Khondji punch us in the face with kaleidoscopic blues, blacks, and silvers that opulently add layers of textures to mesmerize us like Howard’s diamonds.

While the directors create a strong character study that perfectly encapsulates the lovability of the character, Sandler’s performance is the real gem that catches your eye. Though we’re all used to seeing Sandler make a terrible raunchy comedy year after year, he has never failed to show his prowess as an actor. In this, his career’s best performance, Sandler embraces both the tender and uproarious parts of the Diamond District by bringing forward a range of emotions that make us loathe and love the jewel-hustling creature he creates. However, despite the plethora of feelings this performance brings out, what makes it stand out is the sheer humanity that is on display. In the face of all these tense situations, Sandler brings a level of intimate restraint to his portrayal, as his wavering eyes and perpetual smile add a touch of concern to all the decisions he makes. It’s as if he’s hinting to the fact that he knows he’s making all the wrong choices but can’t help quench his thirst for the next big win. However, the authenticity of Howard’s world is really driven home by the casting of actual New Yorkers who provide an immense bustling and lived-in atmosphere that makes the Diamond District truly feel truly alive.

Shot on glorious 35mm, the Safdies in tandem with their Cinematographer Darius Khondji punch us in the face with kaleidoscopic blues, blacks, and silvers that opulently add layers of textures to mesmerize us like Howard’s diamonds. This visual style richly harkens back to the engrossing character-driven cinematic experiences of the 70s. Through these visual motifs, the Safdie brothers add a nuanced and multi-layered commentary that digs into the hypocrisy of the American Dream by meticulously illustrating that the worlds of sports bookmaking, jewelry, and celebrity all work off the backs of poorer nations to seduce and trap small businessmen like Howard. Yet, with all this subtext, the film truly achieves its character-oriented ambitions by always placing the blame on Howard. He has every opportunity to remedy his predicament, but never chooses to do so. All these thematic aspirations are achieved visually, as one such scene features the digital rendering of a diamond’s insides fading into the colon of Howard. This truly resonates with the audience and makes them poignantly grasp how his fate is ultimately intertwined with every diamond’s shimmer.

With every glimmer fracturing off Howard’s lenses, Daniel Lopatin’s operatic electronic score pioneers the idea that diamonds do have an audible ability. The Safdies place a heavy emphasis on the sonic landscape of the film, with many scenes being drowned in electronic hysteria that perpetually unnerve the audience into feeling of ever-worsening dread. Yet, the score simultaneously reaches for symphonic ambitions, as it features choral chants that invoke ancient Greek ballads of tragedy. It’s a dumbfounding combination that both excites and frightens while never letting up.

Uncut Gems is not only the best film of 2019, but one of the best of the last decade. The Safdies create a story that couldn’t be told in any other medium than cinema. Its unique visual language creates a richly textured and anxiety-inducing experience that doesn’t need to force its audience to pay attention, because it knows you’re already addicted to its high, like Howard.

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