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Adam Sandler’s fans love him because he generally plays some kind of variation on the bumbling everyday Joe with a sophomoric sense of humor who somehow gets the hot girl in the end. But his latest film, Uncut Gems, is definitely a departure from those (sometimes) lovably bumbling comedic roles.
Uncut Gems stars Sandler as Howard Ratner, a New York City jeweler who works with an elite clientele at his Diamond District shop. Howard is constantly wheeling and dealing and looking for the next big thing, and his high-stakes bets—both in the shop and with his bookie—have gotten him deep into debt with the wrong people. When he manages to acquire a priceless black opal from Ethiopia, he eagerly awaits the massive windfall that will finally pay off his debts. And when it catches the eye of NBA star Kevin Garnett, he thinks his luck is finally turning around.
As you might expect, Howard’s life is chaotic. He tends to work with some pretty shady people, and he’s constantly trying to find the next big score. And Uncut Gems is appropriately noisy and chaotic. Howard is a pretty noisy guy on his own—yelling out a constant stream of expletives wherever he goes. But he’s also surrounded by loud, demanding, and often threatening people, which means that most of the film involves people bickering and yelling over top of each other. And that makes for a frantic and generally exhausting experience.
The film’s biggest problem, however, is Howard himself: a man without a single redeeming quality. He’s selfish and abrasive and generally obnoxious. He takes advantage of everyone around him, and every decision he makes is cringe-worthy: leaving his wife for an employee, pawning other people’s possessions, taking the money that comes in and using it to place bets instead of paying off debts. Sandler plays this uncharacteristic role well, but that doesn’t mean that it’s one that you’ll enjoy watching—because the constant noise and frenzy simply makes it chaotic and stressful, and the character fails to give viewers any kind of reason to care about what happens to him in the end.
If you’re looking for more goofball comedy from Sandler’s latest role—even goofball comedy with a dark twist—you’re definitely in for a surprise. Uncut Gems isn’t for mainstream audiences—and it’s definitely not for Sandler’s usual fans. It’s dark and loud and meandering, and it’s almost guaranteed to wear you out.
Listen to the review on Reel Discovery:
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