I love movies where people find themselves over their heads, waaay over their heads- flicks like A Simple Plan and American Animals. So I was all up for Uncut Gems with Adam Sandler...
Don't get me wrong- Uncut gems is definitely well made, well acted, and the pacing... the pacing is a New York minute on a speedball laced with Meth! And as if the lunatic freneticism of the film's pacing wasn't enough, the only time people stop screaming in the movie is to inhale enough oxygen to yell and scream louder and faster. That said, I could tolerate all of it, if only I could empathize with main protagonist Howie- a New York City 47st jewelry dealer, hustler and thoroughly deranged gambling addict. And addict he is, not giving a damn about his family, his children or anything else in life save the next BIG bet!
I avoided and despised self absorbed, self promoting Blowhards like Howie long as I lived in New York- and look upon them none the kinder 20 years and 3,000 miles away today...
ADDENDUM: I was hesitant to include this previously, but I really can't leave it unmentioned- particularly now that I've confirmed one aspect... One can't help but notice Sandler's fake teeth, and one can't help but wonder how that doesn't play into stereotyping the exaggeration of certain physical features and characteristics by which Jews have been historically caricatured. It was also more than a tad unsettling to see Kevin Garnett depicted as the pro Black athlete who after years of practice, training, etc to become a superstar... comes to believe his court Mojo is mysteriously controlled by a 'magical' rock- really?
ADDENDUM: I was hesitant to include this previously, but I really can't leave it unmentioned- particularly now that I've confirmed one aspect... One can't help but notice Sandler's fake teeth, and one can't help but wonder how that doesn't play into stereotyping the exaggeration of certain physical features and characteristics by which Jews have been historically caricatured. It was also more than a tad unsettling to see Kevin Garnett depicted as the pro Black athlete who after years of practice, training, etc to become a superstar... comes to believe his court Mojo is mysteriously controlled by a 'magical' rock- really?
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