![]() ![]() my palms were sweaty and I was on the edge of my seat waiting to see if it was going to end badly like most gambling movies do. Adam Sandler absolutely killed it in this, I kept feeling confused at the choices he made but at the same time felt sorry for him. Decided to watch this after seeing this film pop up on so many "2019 Top 10 movies" lists and I couldn't be happier that I did. It probably as a whole isn't a film I'd say I really enjoyed, but as an experience it was engrossing and convincing in its highs and lows, with all aspects of the delivery perfectly in synch to make it work. There is glamour in the locations, but they also feel tired and forced the jewellery shop in particular gets this right - it is full of hugely expensive items and has celebrities in it, but yet it has that annoying buzzer, cheap furniture, no windows, and a smell of desperation around it. The whole production sets and matches the tone of the film as a whole. The way it allows Howard his highs and his lows helps it is not some terrible cautionary tale - we get to see what his life gives him and how he chases (and occasionally gets) the thrill of the big win. It is a tough watch though, because it is very much one-note in its content and message - so it does depend on how much you enjoy that sense of falling self-destruction combined with joy - I really liked it for how well it did it, even if it does feel enclosing and tough. Within this Sandler is the beating heart, convincing in every aspect of his character. It has a comparatively long running time, but it feels shorter because of how consistently relentless it is. ![]() In doing this, it is a terrific film if you are looking to feel a sense of oppression and anxiety, because this is what it does best. It totally sells the sense of addiction and relentlessness of gambling - the highs it offers through the thrill of the chase and the elation of the win, but also the lows of the many downsides and loses. It does not make for an easy film, but it makes for an engaging one. It continues from there with an intensity that is relentless. The first five minutes of Uncut Gems are bewildering and disruptive it feels like you re thrown into the middle of something, can't quite hear what is going on, and feel the pressure of whatever situation we have just found ourselves.
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