New Release! Uncut Gems (2019) [Spoiler-Free Review]

Spoiler-Free!

Directors: Benny and Josh Safdie

Like watching an amazingly agile weasel side-step and juke away from rabid predators for two hours and ten minutes, all with brilliant cinematography and lighting.

Uncut Gems is a feat. I had only seen one of the young Safdie brothers' previous films, 2017s Good Time, which I found to be a gritty, sweaty, fast-paced and amazingly authentic excursion into the shadowy places that desperate losers on Long Island dwell. Uncut Gems is very much in the same vein, even if the setting and main character hail from environs slightly to the west.

This movie follows rare gem dealer Howard (Howie) Ratner, a fast-talking, charismatic hustler who has a severe gambling problem. This tale picks up in 2012, with Howie already deeply in debt to some gangsters whom he keeps at bay with half-empty promises and a knack for escapism. Howie's big chance arrives when basketball superstar Kevin Garnett is brought to his jewelry store and takes a profound liking to a massive raw stone which Howie has just procured from Ethiopia. Garnett feels such an intense spiritual connection to the stone that Howie loans it to him. This kicks off another round of wild betting by Howie on Garnett, whom he's sure will now play a fantastic game. And so it goes, with ever-increasing chances taken and with ever-more pressure placed on Howie via ever-more serious threats on his life by his gangster creditors.

This movie is done so incredibly well that you're likely to feel your blood pressure rise significantly, just watching Howie finagle and bullshit his neck out of one noose and almost immediately into another. All through it, we're being let in on an entire universe which many of us are not privy to - that of high-rolling, high-stakes action junkies. In the world of the Manhattan Diamond District, the adrenaline comes from a hot rare gem sale as much as from a huge bet coming through and paying off. While the movie is fiction, every ounce of it feels authentic. And as someone with a fair bit of family in the New York City area, I can attest to having met more than one Howie Ratner over my time spent with relatives in the area.

There are so many little details in this film that one can appreciate. To name just a couple, there is a depth to Howie as seen through his relationship to his family. It speaks to his perceived social pressure that he feels the need to appease the material desires of everyone around him, whether its toys and trendy gadgets for his children or pricey gifts for his wife and mistress. And there are moments of clear emotional vulnerability where the brash, confident front breaks down, even if it is in somewhat humorous ways.

NBA mega-star Kevin Garnett (left) listens to Howie's rap.
Garnett is just one of many who are bound by Howie's spell.

The acting is as good as it gets. If you're only familiar with Adam Sandler's comedic roles, his turn as Howie may surprise you in its flawless execution. Outfitted with brilliant, fake teeth and scumbag shades, Sandler channels some of his far-too-often untapped range as an actor. The charisma he exudes is not terribly surprising, but the sweaty urgency and flashes of self-serving profundity may show you different facets to his game. It's a marvel to watch. As great as Sandler is, I'd be remiss if I didn't mention the entire supporting cast, which includes some familiar faces like Lakeith Stanfield and Judd Hirsh, among others. Yes, even Kevin Garnett holds his own. They're all great, though Sandler is clearly the star around which this film galaxy spins.

A movie like this could probably have fallen flat without just the right direction, but the Safdie brothers do not fail. As they did in Good Time, they create just the right atmosphere of claustrophobia and desperation. There's a dazzling amount of masterful framing and editing, which is quite a feat when having to follow around a character as frenetic as Howie Ratner. I fully expect a few prestigious award nominations to be thrown at this movie for its direction and filming.

Obviously, I'm a fan. I can very easily see myself watching this movie many more times in the future, which is about as good an endorsement as I can give a movie.