Review of Uncut Gems (2019) by Brent_Marchant — 29 Dec 2019

Pay no attention to the undeserved hype for this overlong and self-important offering from the Safdie Brothers (who are themselves among the most overrated filmmakers in the business today). While the picture is generally well made, it nevertheless features a story line about a self-destructive character for whom it's difficult to feel any sympathy and leaves one extremely large central question unanswered, undercutting the vehicle's basic underlying viability.

What's more, the narrative closely parallels the 1974 release "The Gambler," augmented by a sense of hyper-desperation not unlike the directors' 2017 offering "Good Time," a combination that's not exactly original or particularly interesting.

And then there's the much-praised performance by Adam Sandler in a dramatic role, a capable but overrated portrayal that essentially consists of little more than two hours of the actor screeching F-bombs in a manner similar to his wise-ass characters in his long strong of eminently forgettable comedies.

It's the kind of film that constantly frustrates the viewer and, after a while, makes one long for the ending to come. Wait for the home version -- and then only if you have nothing pressing to do.