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UNCUT GEMS: (2019) Most critics loved this film. It stars Adam Sandler who when given the right material e.g. Spanglish (2004), is a terrific actor. Uncut Gems suits him, but both Barbara and I were less than pleased with the screenplay and direction. The film is directed and co-written by the Safdie brothers, Joshua and Benjamin, American independent filmmakers who made home movies when they were kids and frequently collaborate as adults. They deliver a high-intensity heart-racing journey with a pace that never lets up. It may have been the relentless pace and the technique of having several actors delivering lines on top of each other that two octogenarians grew quickly tired of.  Sandler plays Howard, a jeweler whose compulsive gambling habit has turned his life into a series of bets, each raising the stakes higher than the last. Also featured is NBA retired basketball star Kevin Garnett playing a fictionalized version of himself in his feature film debut. Setting the story in 2012 in New York City allows Garnett to fit into a time frame when he played a power forward with the Boston Celtics. His role is crucial to the story and Garnett is quite good at playing himself. The movie captures the hopelessness of living life on the edge and even though we were not thrilled with the film, I am quite sure it will advance the careers of Sandler and the Safdie brothers. GRADE B-

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