If you manage to finish this film, you didn't just finish it; you survived it. Uncut Gems is, in all likelihood, the thrill ride of the year. It evokes feelings of getting off a 130-minute roller-coaster ride and the need to nurse an uneasy feeling head and maybe even whiplash.
Josh and Benny Safdie crafted a film that doesn't take any time in dialing things up to 11 and keeping it that way the whole time. As a viewer, you're on edge from the get-go. It's certainly a risk, given that many moviegoers would prefer maybe a break to catch their breath in a film so anxiety-driven. But alas, there are no chances for a second wind.
Adam Sandler has never been better. We've all lauded his performance in Paul Thomas Anderson's Punch Drunk Love (2002), but this is a whole different animal. His look, his attitude, his mannerisms, and just everything suggested a fantastic transformation into his character Howard Ratner. In no way was he another version of Sonny Koufax (Big Daddy, 1999), David Buznik (Anger Management, 2003), or Paul Crewe (The Longest Yard, 2005), who are pretty much the same guy.
The pleasant surprise was the performance of the gorgeous Julia Fox, who was an important cog in the overall element of this film. She is, in every way, Sandler's equal in this film.
A curious aspect of Uncut Gems is the synth-centric original score by Daniel Lopatin. It was an appropriate sound to go with the sight of constant movement in the cinematography, as well as the frenetic noise that was the overlapping conversations.
My score: ★★★★
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