Uncut Gems 2019
This movie got amazing reviews, finishing on a lot of crtics’ Top 10 lists and getting a 90 at Metacritic, but I was very wary based on it being an Adam Sandler movie and warned ahead of time that it was a lot of yelling. The whole movie is yelling from start (almost) to finish. Adam Sandler, as the main character, is a horrible man who lies to everyone, and is completely self-destructive, a jeweler in the Diamond District who owes everyone in New York City money, and is addicted to gambling and sex. He doesn’t really care about anyone, just trying to put together big scores that will get him out of his mess, while always digging himself a deeper hole.
This movie is like when you are at a restaurant and some couple gets in a fight and starts screaming at each other and you are just embarrased and mad at them for stressing you out. This is two hours with that couple. There really isn’t much of a plot other than what I have already described, which is established pretty early and just repeats on and on and you wait for it to either end terribly or okay. And if a horrible story about a horrible person isn’t enough, everything is in shaky cam all the time. I am so glad I was able to watch this free on Netflix instead of buying it blind on blu-ray like I almost did. I do think there is an audience for this movie. People who love the worst aspects of New York City or who like Adam Sandler can enjoy it. And certainly a lot of critics liked it, so there must be an audience. But most people can and should avoid this.
Written: 25 Aug 2020