Adam Sandler | Screenlife Reviews

It’s not often that Adam Sandler finds himself in a dramatic role, but when he does he goes all in. The Safdie Brothers’ latest high-octane, anxiety attack of a film Uncut Gems features the Sandman at perhaps the best he’s ever been – in his element as a disgruntled, obnoxious jeweller up to his neck in gambling debts and loan sharks surviving through sheer luck and quick wits. Excellently written to wring every last drop of tension out of the audience and with a stellar supporting cast, Uncut Gems stands as one of the most original films of the last decade, and although the pacing can dip slightly around the middle, the Safdie Brothers have created a gritty, confronting sophomore feature that rivals if not surpasses their breakthrough Good Time.

We enter this ride in the thick of it as expert jeweller Howard Ratner (Sandler) returns to his shop to find trouble in the form of two dangerous enforcers looking to collect on a debt owed to Arno (Eric Bogosian), Howard’s brother-in-law. The problem is Howard “doesn’t have the money right now” – a line that becomes something of a catchphrase for Sandler’s character throughout the film – and Arno’s goons promise to cause more chaos if they aren’t paid what is owed. Enter the titular gem; a magnificent multifaceted, multicoloured beauty which Howard has imported from Africa to sell at an auction for a cool million – money problems solved. That is until basketball star Kevin Garnett (as himself) of the Boston Celtics steps into the store and lays eyes on it, obsessing over the stone and begging to borrow it before the auction so that he can use its “luck” to help him win the game and the championship. Howard reluctantly agrees, releasing the stone and risking his future, and what follows is a series of increasingly horrifying and nerve shredding events as Howard does whatever he can to keep afloat with all his problems and come out on top.

What makes Uncut Gems so watchable and stops it from being a depressing story of despicable people doing despicable things is Sandler. Maybe it’s all the goodwill he’s built up from starring in classic comedies like Happy Gilmore and Billy Madison but it’s almost impossible to root against the guy, even if he is doing things that would make most people’s stomach turn and isolate an audience. He gets by here by playing off both his extremes, mixing that always-yelling anger of his earlier comedy with the subtlety of his more dramatic work – Howard is as aggressive as they come; and he has to be to an extent to get by in his profession, but its the hunger and the level of greed he has that stop him from ever feeling fulfilled. Sandler shows us this in moments which should be happy for Howard – watching his daughter’s play or tucking his son in to bed – by undercutting them with a twitch and sudden need to be around something beneficial for him, his addiction. He is an addict and a broken person and Sandler plays it all beautifully, demonstrating how this affliction can build and build in a person until breaking point. He may never top this, the role seems written specifically for him, and it’s a crying shame he wasn’t even nominated for an Oscar for the performance.

Surrounding this epic performance is some damn fine filmmaking from the Safdie Brothers who go far bigger than their last, more contained feature. The stakes of Uncut Gems are far larger and more life and death and the film moves at a clip for the most part, lingering on specific visuals and people just long enough to make you feel uncomfortable. Certain spots around the middle to tend to drag slightly but it can be overlooked when the anchoring performance is so riveting. Shot to look somewhat grainy and dirty, the effect pays off to make the diamond district of New York look grimy and lived in. The supporting characters that live in it belong here, with LaKeith Stanfield at the top of his game as a hustler from the streets looking to hawk his stolen watches through Howard’s shop and Julia Fox as Howard’s mistress and employee who runs in multiple circles in order to make a name for herself outside the store. Everyone is self motivated and out for themselves, with no compunctions about who they have to go through to get out of their current situations. You get a true sense of this through the dialogue, where multiple people are constantly talking over each other, vying for their opportunity to be heard and appreciated. While this can be something of sensory overload at times it helps to sell both the world and the madness that is in Howard’s head, his addiction the only voice that can rise above the noise.

Uncut Gems is one of those films with a role so perfectly suited for an actor that it becomes a different beast, a showcase for their acting talent. Adam Sandler elevates the source material so much with his performance, partly due to his long presence in the industry and on our screens, that he becomes someone you actively root for, despite the awful way he treats those around him. The Safdie Brothers continue to show a flair for intense, nerve jangling stories that move at an incredibly fast pace, even if there are a few dips here and there, and it won’t be long before they earn the recognition they deserve. Ultimately Uncut Gems will be remembered for Sandler’s phenomenal performance and the Academy’s snub of it at the Oscars. Here’s hoping the Sandman has a few more of these left in him.

Uncut Gems stars Adam Sandler, Idina Menzel, LaKeith Stanfield, Julia Fox, Eric Bogosian, Kevin Garnett & Judd Hirsch – in cinemas in the US now and streaming on Netflix everywhere else.

The Netflix empire has continued to grow and expand year after year, thanks in no small part to its catalogue of original content and partnerships with A-list creators. The latest big shot of original content comes from and stars Adam Sandler – a name tied to a wide spectrum of films ranging from great to… not so great. The relatively average Murder Mystery won’t alter this reputation much, however it is one of the actor’s better recent offerings and a decent adventure that pokes fun at the genre.

Sandler plays Nick Spitz, an NYPD officer who dreams of finally passing his detective exam after multiple failed attempts. Jennifer Aniston plays his wife of 15 years, Audrey – a hairdresser hooked on mystery novels and desperate for a holiday. Following an argument about their endlessly delayed European honeymoon, the couple finally board a plane across the pond. While onboard, Audrey runs into Charles (Luke Evans), a suave viscount that presents her and her husband with an offer: join a cruise on his fabulously wealthy and estranged uncle’s yacht to celebrate the old man’s recent wedding. It’s a nonsense setup that could only fly in a comedy, with the slow opening 20 minutes easily the weakest of the film.

It’s once the Spitz couple are aboard said yacht that things start to pick up a bit however, as the two are quickly introduced to the wider cast of eventual suspects. As with any great murder mystery, the characters here are total opposites that otherwise have no business being in the same room together. These include Russian bodyguard Sergei (Olafur Darri Olafsson), pro-racer Juan (Luis Gerardo), famous actress Grace (Gemma Arteton), one-handed Military Colonel Ulenga (John Kani), trophy wife Suzi (Shioli Kutsuna) and the billionaire’s only son Tobias (David Williams). Once the big murder finally happens, everyone has a motive – yet it’s the American couple’s unexplainable attendance at the gathering that makes them the prime suspects.

What follows are a series of escapades and misadventures between Nick and Audrey as the honeymooners attempt to avoid the authorities and find the real culprit. Sandler and Aniston have some decent chemistry as a quibbling married couple, and the plot moves along well during the later half as the two discuss their suspicions and plans as they go. Sandler playing a relatively normal character (for his standards) works in the film’s favour, as he keeps things relatively grounded throughout. In saying this, there are definitely a few jokes that fall pretty flat or go a bit far – with the supposed police officer at one point stealing a corpse’s tuxedo for no real reason.

Audiences may also find some of the more outrageous characters a bit hit and miss, depending on how they feel about low brow jokes and cheap laughs. Adeel Akhtar plays Vikram, a street-talking Maharaja who is also at the scene of the crime. Akhtar’s character is on screen purely for the laughs, and he quickly steals the spotlight whenever he’s around with some situational gags and his oblivious outlook on things. Another larger-than-life character stirring things up is Inspector Delacroix (Dany Boon), the French detective in charge of the murder investigation. A caricature of brooding detective stereotypes, the inspector spends his screentime puffing cigarettes and pointing the finger at all the wrong people. Not nearly as over the top as the Maharajah, the inspector can still bring out a laugh here or there for those not looking for thoughtful or creative comedy.

Thankfully there’s actually a decent amount of thought and respect going into the general plot outside of these moments. Aniston’s character is a huge fan of mystery novels, so it’s fun to watch her follow another supposed clue or play the spy whenever necessary. There’s also a good attention to detail on the tropes of murder mysteries, such as the lingering focus on items that don’t seem important to the untrained eye, as well as the odd red herring and twist mixed in for good measure. It’s no Poirot or Sherlock Holmes, but it’s some enjoyable sleuthing that keeps you guessing despite the hijinks going on throughout.

All in all, Netflix’s Murder Mystery is a decent attempt at a genre mash-up that hasn’t been done to death like other generic ideas recently. There’s enough pace and plot in the second half to keep things running, despite the hit and miss laughs and a painfully slow start. Give it a watch if you’re looking for some light-hearted escapades and some big names in a nice European setting – there are plenty of worse ways to spend a night in front of the TV.

Murder Mystery stars Adam Sandler, Jennifer Aniston, Luke Evans, David Williams, Gemma Arteton, John Kani, Shioli Kutsuna & Dany Boon – Streaming now on Netflix.