Sunday, January 5, 2020

Uncut Gems (2019)

Fig. 1: Bling'd-out furby (second from left) and Adam Sandler (third from left). 

Plot: Adam Sandler plays a part-time diamond dealer, full-time gambling addict with many creditors hungry to collect, a wife eager for a divorce, a girlfriend possibly cheating on him with the Weeknd ("He's good, even though he's Canadian"), and a superstitious NBA star desperate to buy an uncut opal supposedly containing playoff-winning powers. Featuring: a bling'd-out Furby (see Fig. 1).

Review: Watching this movie felt like walking the streets of Manhattan; it's loud and neurotic, but also supercharged and invigorating. The soundtrack and mixing (so much crosstalk!) masterfully contribute to this effect, as well as the frequent (and frequently sinister) use of close-ups. All who self-identify as "high-strung" or "type A" or "stressed" will feel a deep, and perhaps troubling, though largely metaphorical (I hope), connection with Sandler's chainsaw juggling routine of a life. If you want to watch a quintessentially NYC movie, watch this!

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