“Adam Sandler was snubbed by The Academy for his exhausting yet riveting performance in the Safdie brothers’ Uncut Gems, but the night before the Oscars, he took the prize for Best Male Lead at the Independent Spirit Awards. His hilarious acceptance speech suggested that he hasn’t changed much since the days of ‘The Hanukkah Song’ and Billy Madison. And it confirmed that the Safdies spent years trying to convince the actor to take the role of Howard Ratner, the Diamond District jeweler who’s managed to make it to the age of recommended colon cancer screenings despite a nearly infallible ability to make the wrong move in any given situation.
“Yet as he did before with Paul Thomas Anderson and Punch-Drunk Love, Sandler ultimately moved wisely, choosing to trust filmmakers who saw more potential in his onscreen persona than a future of nothing but Netflix comedies. Sandler’s manic energy and singular ability to balance offbeat charm with off-putting behavior are perfectly matched to Howard’s life of scheming, gambling, and hoping. Present in almost every scene, constantly in motion, and always too short a step ahead of his creditors, Howard disappoints again and again. But Sandler keeps you firmly on Howard’s side, watching and rooting, wholly swept up in the character’s abiding belief that a big payday is just one move away—despite all evidence to the contrary.” ~ Melissa Starker
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