PROVOKR PICK: UNCUT GEMS
Adam Sandler Wants an Oscar
Adam Sandler wants an Oscar for his performance in Uncut Gems. In fact, he wants an Oscar so badly that he’s promising (threatening) to make the worst movie ever if he doesn’t win the prestigious award. Can he make something worse than Jack and Jill? Do we think he’ll win the coveted statue for this film by brothers Josh and Benny Safdie? He’s certainly a contender for the award in what will likely be a very tight race.
Set in Manhattan’s diamond district, Uncut Gems follows Howard Ratner (Sandler), a jewelry store owner with a gambling problem. Like many compulsive gamblers, he makes a series of high-stakes bets and ends up in a lot of trouble. He needs to pay his debts before it’s too late. Of course, he doesn’t just put his own life in danger, but the lives of his wife, Dinah (Idina Menzel), his mistress Julia (Julia Fox) and his children. Hey, no one said Sandler plays the nicest guy in this gritty movie.
Uncut Gems had its world premiere on August 30, 2019 at the Telluride Film Festival. So far the film has enjoyed wide critical acclaim, with Sandler’s performance being hailed by critics as his best performance to date. Maybe he will get that Oscar. The National Board of Review awarded Sandler with their 2019 award for best actor and listed Uncut Gems as one of the top ten films of 2019.
See Uncut Gems in theaters starting December 13, 2019 and you decide if you think Sandler deserves one. But, in the meantime, prepare yourself for Sandler to make a sequel to Jack and Jill or worse.
