Uncut Gems: Adam Sandler's Masterclass.
After several months of just not doing anything in particular, I finally (finally!!) got around seeing Uncut Gems and what a ride it was. The Safdie brothers directed film hits several right notes considering it's plot, It's humorous enough as a dark comedy whilst managing to retain it's seriousness as the story progress (because things do get serious) but it's biggest plus in my opinion is it's cast, they all really shine but it's Adam Sandler though who was perfectly cast in the lead role that really shines and produces without a doubt the best performance of his career and what a performance it was. Sandler plays (Character) a new your city Jeweler who also dabbles in gambling (he really dabbles).
The film spends the best part of the first two acts giving us an insight into his lifestyle, his family situation and the nuances of his personality. He's fun, a bit goofy and bubbly but also very smart and apparrently has a keen eye for his business. Also established within this time frame is the nature of his business and the current situation he finds himself in (he needs to pay off a big debt to some serious owners). Now, I've always loved Adam Sandler in his several comedy films but I aslo always felt a dissatisfaction after them, partly because they started to feel too similar but mostly because I've always wanted to see him challenge himself in more "serious" dramatic roles that requires perhaps a more nuanced performance than the mostly nerdy comedic characters he plays and in Uncut Gems, I got what I wanted.
There is something really satisfying about seeing a comedian nail a serious part, it tests their mettle and proves their chops. We get to see a side to them we dont often see and it is always an exciting ride. Now admittedly, the Howard character isn't too much of a deviation from most of Sandler's previous jobs but what sets him apart here is that pullimg off this character required much more of a balancing act to portray compared to his other work. He needed to be the right amount of eccentric, charming and charismatic without completely coming off as a goof and also, the role required him to balance that with a seriousness that assures us he's capable of effectively running his business and that he's aware of the increasingly dire situation he finds himself in as the movie progresses. It's only fair to remind everyone at this point that this was not Sabdler's first serious role neither is it the first one he nails, there's also The Meyerowitz Stories (New and Selected) where Sandler's gives an excellent performance as well.
There is just something about Uncut Gems that makes his performance stand out. It really feels like Howard as a character was written specifically for him and Sandler delivers a strong commited perfromance that fully embodies what it takes to be the addictive, bumblimg but witty gambler.
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