MY NETFLIX MOVIE REVIEWS: Uncut Gems

Howard Ratner (Adam Sandler) is a once-successful New York gems dealer whose gambling addiction has left his family and career in shambles and his hundreds of thousands in debt. Always looking for the next big bet, Howard thinks he finally hit it big when he discovers a rare uncut rock of Ethiopian gems, with a very interested high-profile buyer. But the closer Howard gets to finally winning big, the more he is forced to realize he can’t keep running from the consequences of his actions. (Courtesy of Internet Movie Database)

UNCUT GEMS (2019) Directed by Benny & Josh Safdie, written by Ronald Bronstein Benny & Josh Safdie, and produced by Scot Rudin. From the moment I saw GOOD TIMES, the first film I had seen by the Safdie Brothers, I knew I needed to watch this one as well. Furthermore, seeing Adam Sandler cast in a movie, not usually his genre, made the prospect of seeing this to rise to another level.

Upon watching it, I was caught up in the frantic world of Howard Ratner (Adam Sandler), and all that encompassed it. Each moment of the film is crammed with situations you wish Howard would just make the right choice to get out of his own way, but he just seems to dig himself deeper. The pacing of the film keeps you on the edge of your seat nearly at all times, which can be stressful but adds to the film’s journey. Much of the cast are non-actors playing characters that reflect the roles they play in real life, giving the film a level of authenticity.

In the End: UNCUT GEM delivered a frantic and uneasy story full of lavishness and luxury, furthering my opinion of The Safdie Brothers as legitimate filmmakers that I enjoy watching their films. So I give the film a 4 of 5 stars.

Uncut Gems trailer: https://youtu.be/vTfJp2Ts9X8