12/28/19 - Uncut Gems (2019) - 8/10

Wow. That is a riveting experience and perhaps the most stressful film I have seen in a long time. The constant pulling in every conceivable direction grinds on Sandler and on your nerves. You can’t help but be on edge as you follow this foul mouthed jeweler who can’t scrape by a solitary minute without screwing himself in some horrendous way. There is a twisted schadenfreude in the sick tangled web of horrors, if you can derive pleasure in his pain. I vastly enjoyed the experience, but it is one of masters of their craft putting me in a hole of pulverizing despair. I fully appreciate that and loved it.

Sandler is bought in and raking his bloodied cracked existence over the burning coals of failure. His quick f-Bomb filled dialogue, his smarmy agape grin, and his pitiful breakdowns work 1000%. He is not funny or likable or recognizable; I adored that.

Few movies have accomplished their destined goal better than this. The odd musical placement provide added exotic disquiet. The editing is pacy but not frenetic. It all adds to the everbuilding momentum crescendoing to destruction.The Safdie Bros are approaching mastery and this latest effort is better than their last (which was quite good and should be seen by all the Pattinson haters).