Uncut Gems

           Adam Sandler is electrifying in this new drama from the Safdie Brothers. Set in the world of the NY Diamond Exchange, Mr. Sandler plays Howard Ratner, a jeweler with a terrible gambling habit. He is juggling his family life, his mistress, his debts, and trying to stay one step ahead of loan sharks, all while trying to close the biggest deal of his life.

            Co-written (along with Ronald Bronstein) and directed by the Safdie Brothers, the film opens with a very unconventional scene and once Mr. Sandler appears, takes off like a shot. His energy level is contagious and the rest of the great cast are all sucked into Howard's maelstrom. The film co-stars Idina Menzel, Julia Fox, Lakeith Stanfield, Eric Bogosian and as himself, basketball superstar, Kevin Garnett.

            Mr. Sandler, not known for many dramatic roles, is pure dynamite. He is in almost every scene and carries the story on his back. Howard is a hustler, a cheat, a liar, and a degenerate gambler but Mr. Sandler plays him with a vulnerability that makes you root for him even as his self inflicted troubles mount. 

            The story is intriguing enough but it's Mr. Sandler's Adrenaline that propels the film to another level. You will leave the theater dazed. An Oscar nomination is a pretty safe bet.