Uncut Gems (Film Review)

2019 A24
Directed by: Josh and Benny Safdie; Written by: Ronald Bronstein and Josh and Benny Safdie
Starring: Adam Sandler, Lakeith Stanfield, Julia Fox, Kevin Garnett, Idina Menzel, and Eric Bogosian
MPAA Rating: R; Running Time: 135 Minutes
The Nicsperiment Score: 10/10

Howard Ratner can't stop. The New York City jewelry store owner's life has so many loose threads, it's a wonder he can take two steps without tripping. He owes loan sharks (including his brother-in-law) $100K. He's got a codependent mistress living in a city apartment he pays for, while he also lives with his wife and kids out in the suburbs. He comes into an uncut opal from Africa, loans it to NBA star Kevin Garnett (who plays himself), takes Garnett's championship ring for collateral, then pawns off the ring, betting money on Garnett's performance that night...while also putting the opal that he knows he still needs to get back into his possession up for auction. All the while, he's giving away his unknowing jewelry store associate's watches like candy to those pestering him to get their money back, while still running the jewelry store, taking on a constant stream of customers, and never turning off his sometimes punch-bleeding nose for another scheme. \
And...that's just how Howard likes it.
He's addicted to the game, constant bets, constant scamming, constant activity and stimuli, and sibling directors, Josh and Benny Safdie, absolutely bombard the viewer's senses, as objects, characters, lights, colors, movement constantly assault the frame. Meanwhile, Daniel Lopatin's synth score rises and falls in massive aural tsunamis, over Howard's constant chattering, and the bickering voices of those around him--his associates, his acquaintances, his enemies, his codependent mistress (Julia Fox, in her brilliant debut), his longsuffering wife (Idina Menzel, in an understatedly exasperated performance). Wherever Howard goes, chaos follows--it's no coincidence the 2012-set film centers a major scene around a Passover ceremony--Howard is an embodiment of a plague upon all those who have the misfortune of knowing him.
Adam Sandler kicked off his acting career by playing an endearing, if slightly off-putting angry man-child. That was fun for a bit, but the joke began to wear thin--until Sandler proved his acting chops in Paul Thomas Anderson's 2002 masterpiece among masterpieces, Punchdrunk Love. Since then, there's been essentially two types of Sandler films: the ones where he acts, and the ones where he goofs off with his friends. Uncut Gems is one where acts his ass off.
I reached a moment in Uncut Gems where I just wanted the movie to end. I had to evaluate if that was because the film was dragging past its sell date, or if Uncut Gems was simply taking me to a place I was hesitant to reach--I believe it's the latter. Sandler embodies this character with such great humanity, but it's curdled humanity--the Safdie Brothers and Sandler have created a character that many of us can recognize...the kind that at some point we realize our hopes for redemption have caused us to enable. The bravery of Uncut Gems is that it refuses to do so.