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Uncut Gems



This jolt of pure cinematic adrenaline affirmed directors Josh and Benny Safdie as heirs to the gritty, heightened realism of Martin Scorsese and John Cassavetes. Adam Sandler delivers an almost maniacally embodied performance as Howard Ratner, a fast-talking New York jeweler in relentless pursuit of the next big score. When he comes into possession of a rare opal, it seems Howard's ship has finally come in—as long as he can stay one step ahead of a wife (Idina Menzel) who hates him, a mistress (Julia Fox) who can't quit him, and a frenzy of loan sharks and hit men closing in on him. Wrapping a vivid look at the old-school Jewish world of Manhattan's Diamond District within a kinetic thriller, Uncut Gems gives us one of the great characters in modern cinema: a tragic hero of competing compulsions on a shoot-the-moon quest to transcend his destiny.

SPECIAL FEATURES

• 4K digital transfer, approved by writer-directors Josh and Benny Safdie, with Dolby Atmos soundtrack on the 4K UHD and Blu-ray editions
• In the 4K UHD edition: One 4K UHD disc of the film presented in Dolby Vision HDR and one Blu-ray with the film and special features
• Audio commentary from 2019 featuring the Safdies, writer and editor Ronald Bronstein, and producer Sebastian Bear-McClard
• New interviews with cinematographer Darius Khondji, costume designer Miyako Bellizzi, production designer Sam Lisenco, and casting director Jennifer Venditti
• Documentaries from 2019 and 2020 on the making of the film and soundtrack
• Screen test featuring actors Adam Sandler and Julia Fox
• Goldman v Silverman, a 2020 short film by the Safdies, featuring Sandler and Benny Safdie
• "Question & Answer," a 2020 short film featuring the Safdies, Sandler, actor Jason Bateman, and comedy writer Megan Amram
• Audition tapes
• Deleted and extended scenes, including a full performance of "The Morning" by The Weeknd
• Trailers
• English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
• PLUS: An essay by film critic J. Hoberman and, for the 4K UHD and Blu-ray editions, a 2020 discussion of the film by the editorial staff of Jewish Currents magazine

Ribs wrote: Tue Apr 03, 2018 5:05 pm Adam Sandler has officially signed on to lead in the next Safdie Brothers film, to be released by A24

Executive produced by Martin Scorsese

I guess I'm finally gonna have to watch Good Time. Ugh.

I heard they were going to do a remake of 48 HRS for Paramount. I think a third movie would be a better choice.

That's apparently still in the works, but this is coming first

Lakeith Stanfield has joined the cast, with Eric Roberts and Judd Hirsch also on board

Really "enjoy" the Safdies work, especially Good Time. Immediately fascinated by a film of theirs headlined by Sandler and Stanfield.

The production company inadvertently publicly posted a clip from the film on Vimeo. A Reddit user grabbed it and uploaded it there. Sandler is 100% doing a Pacino impression, as many commenters have already noted

Comes out December 13.

Indiewire wrote:In an interview with IndieWire, TIFF artistic director Cameron Bailey raved about the movie. “It’s probably the most Safdie movie you’ve ever seen,” he said. “It moves at a breakneck pace. It’s cranked up to 11 the whole time, it’s exhilarating to watch, Adam Sandler gives his very best performance since ‘Punch-Drunk Love’ and Kevin Garnett is in it, so it’s got something for everybody. They shot everything on [35mm] so even though it’s a bigger movie for them it’s got a real gritty quality.”

https://www.indiewire.com/2019/07/un...rs-1202160171/

35mm is "gritty" now?

Typical festival head, doesn’t know what he’s talking about.

Early reactions out of Telluride are split between people absolutely loving it and people finding it obnoxious, though everybody seems to agree that Sandler's great in it.

The Narrator Returns wrote: Sat Aug 31, 2019 6:57 am Early reactions out of Telluride are split between people absolutely loving it and people finding it obnoxious, though everybody seems to agree that Sandler's great in it.

It seems to be like the reception so far has been uniformly glowing. It currently has 100% on Rotten Tomatoes and 92% on metacritc. Granted there aren't many reviews so far but it's still reason to be excited.

Peter-H wrote: Thu Sep 05, 2019 2:32 am

The Narrator Returns wrote: Sat Aug 31, 2019 6:57 am Early reactions out of Telluride are split between people absolutely loving it and people finding it obnoxious, though everybody seems to agree that Sandler's great in it.

It seems to be like the reception so far has been uniformly glowing. It currently has 100% on Rotten Tomatoes and 92% on metacritc. Granted there aren't many reviews so far but it's still reason to be excited.

I haven't seen the film, but this sounds pretty much on point with the reactions for Good Time, which did well critically but those who hated it hated it, and early reactions out of some test screenings used language akin to 'obnoxious.' I'll wait for DI and other festival-goers to weigh in, but my prediction is that one's level of affection for their last movie will mirror thoughts and feelings for this one quite closely, but that's just an impression. Personally I'm probably looking forward to this as much or more than anything else on the slate for this year.

I'm so down with this film, even considering my decent reaction to Good Time. This might sound absurd, but I love Sandler when he is in serious mode

Like a lot of comedians, he’s a good dramatic actor because he has an awareness of himself. As someone who doesn’t find him funny in the slightest, I agree that his strengths lie in his dramatic work (and he deserved an Oscar nom for the Meyerowitz Stories)

I remember a good interview he gave on Letterman (I think to promote Mr. Deeds), where the mid-'90s SNL mass firing came up. You'd have to see it, but he basically said he wanted to quit for a while because "there's only so many times you can go [insert trademark Sandler gibberish from this era, but done very sarcastically]." His manager suggested over and over "it's time" but Sandler didn't want to abandon Michaels and SNL because he felt he owed it to them for giving him his career, and of course as soon as he says "nah, I'm gonna stay," Chris Farley walks in and yells "Oh my God, we've all been fired!!!" Anyway, he's obviously done plenty of bad, obnoxious comedies ever since, but it was still very telling.

hearthesilence wrote: Tue Sep 24, 2019 2:08 pm I remember a good interview he gave on Letterman (I think to promote Mr. Deeds), where the mid-'90s SNL mass firing came up. You'd have to see it, but he basically said he wanted to quit for a while because "there's only so many times you can go [insert trademark Sandler gibberish from this era, but done very sarcastically]." His manager suggested over and over "it's time" but Sandler didn't want to abandon Michaels and SNL because he felt he owed it to them for giving him his career, and of course as soon as he says "nah, I'm gonna stay," Chris Farley walks in and yells "Oh my God, we've all been fired!!!" Anyway, he's obviously done plenty of bad, obnoxious comedies ever since, but it was still very telling.

I can't say I follow what your point is here

His skills as a dramatic actor in contrast to his comedic work was mentioned in this thread. It's also been said or inferred that it's surprising that this kind of work can be seen from someone whose comedy is so awful. So when Sandler makes a surprising admission that he was tired of his own shtick right before he started doing different types of roles, it builds off of those earlier remarks.

Sandler is on record as saying the only reason he does the films he frequently does is because that's what people want to see him in. I operated under the idea for quite some time that he lacked self awareness but that's just not true. He's very aware that he makes garbage but people continue to watch them and as such he continues to make them. And hell, given the reports from the set they sound ostensibly like vacations with incredibly lavish everything which is just a bonus. If someone paid you ten million dollars plus gross to play a man child every year or two how many of you, realistically would say no?

hearthesilence wrote: Tue Sep 24, 2019 3:16 pm His skills as a dramatic actor in contrast to his comedic work was mentioned in this thread. It's also been said or inferred that it's surprising that this kind of work can be seen from someone whose comedy is so awful. So when Sandler makes a surprising admission that he was tired of his own shtick right before he started doing different types of roles, it builds off of those earlier remarks.

Ah, okay. I thought it was some kind of commentary on his loyalty. I find Sandler very funny (often the quality of his films drags that down to the point of unwatchability - but as a performer he's funny in my view - see also Will Ferrell), so strong disagree, but at least I know what you're saying now! Having it immediately follow the link to the trailer just threw me off.

Anyway, the trailer has me impossibly jazzed for this.

Looks like this will be the NYFF "secret" screening on October 3rd, based on their Twitter clue that it features a voice-only role from someone who also had a voice-only role in one of their 1993 selections

Spoiler

Tilda Swinton (the '93 selection was Blue)