Uncut Gems

It's a bit of a paradox that this hyperkinetic street thriller actually feels anachronistic today, because it actually tells a story set against the backdrop of old New York City, the face of which has been heavily transformed over the past decade to suit the lifestyle of young yuppies, giving the whole glorious big-city street-life a pretty big beating. Even as a kind of reminiscence of those times, we can enjoy the depth and muted colours of a thirty-five-millimeter film in the hands of the most talented, Darius Khondji, who desaturated the colors of, for example, The City of Lost Children or Se7en. It's ironic that the Safdie bros meet exactly the demands of a predatory young directorial duo, but that's mainly because of how they ignore the formal developments within the last, say, fifteen years, after the widespread advent of digital. (2021-03-22)

An uncompromising, frenetically edited dialogue cannonade, focusing on a narrow time span in the main character's life. Similar in concept and similarly frantic and unhinged as Joel Schumacher's Phone Booth. The essential difference is that while Phone Booth switches to a "meaningful" conclusion at the end and touches on the emotional arc of realizing life's mistakes and wrong actions, the protagonist in Uncut Gems has nothing of the sort, so we need to look at other parameters. For example, the haunting soundtrack, Sandler in a very atypical role for him as a Jewish merchant, Julia Fox (hopefully she'll get more roles), and the convoluted, volatile but well thought out story. A small, controversial film for connoisseurs who appreciate a filmmaker’s unconventional approach. (2020-03-14)

Neo-noir Woody Allen on cocaine laced with synthetics. Loud-mouthed, too tense, hypnotic, mumbling, repulsive, soiled, slimy and truly (I really mean truly) intense. It cannot be recommended anyone. Compared to Uncut Gems, Good Time would be a viewer-friendly film. This time, the Safdis provoke on purpose. You will either hate or admire them from the bottom of your heart, but you will hardly say “hmm, a nice average movie that I will not remember tomorrow “. You will remember. It is only a question of whether you will spit in disgust or nod appreciatively while recalling it. (2020-04-12)

Adam Sandler in a serious role? Let’s see this! Uncut Gems is the next film from his Netflix series, the first with a non-comedy theme. However, his character here is unpleasant and noisy, just like the film itself. Moreover, it contains an unusual soundtrack, which is also not exactly melodious, adding to the overall gloominess of the film. The first hour, I didn’t really know what to think, but the tension was so high I thought I was going to explode like a pressure pot. Although I didn’t like Sandler’s character, I have to respect his performance. It was an acting feast, albeit one with a psychedelic musical background. (2020-02-05)

Uncut Gems is almost unpleasant to watch. A spiral of self-destruction (with the very best intentions, of course) with the excellent Sandler in the lead role. The incredible pressure of an evil and raucous world conveyed through the “hero" to the viewer with unbelievable intensity. Lies, crooked deals, basketball, gambling, infidelity and contempt and the entire world plotting against one person who deserves it like no other (but you’ll still be keeping your fingers crossed for him at the end). A morality tale about gambling and something extra, and a reflection of modern times. (2020-02-04)