Uncut Gems

The best directorial feat by the Safdie brothers and the best serious role by Adam Sandler, who fits the part like a glove. It's a very whiny film without any positive characters. Sandler owed perhaps everything he looked at and I thoroughly enjoyed his crazy gamble. Julia Fox was also great to watch, she is an unknown actress to me, but I was wiping saliva off the table during the garter scene. The finale is intense and unexpected. I enjoyed it. PS: the scene with The Weeknd was fun.8/10. (01/21/2020)

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. (03/22/2021)

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. (02/04/2020)

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. (02/05/2020)

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. (04/12/2020)