‘Uncut Gems’: The “masterful” movie that made Yorgos Lanthimos jealous
Yorgos Lanthimos loves to push boundaries and challenge his viewers – catching us off guard and leaving us a little uncomfortable, but always making an impact that’s nothing short of indelible.
It’s been years since I’ve seen Dogtooth, but I still think about its absurd metaphor for societal control and manipulation, which manifests in licking, beating, dancing, and killing, ensuring that you never forget a film like that, and while Lanthimos entered the mainstream when he made English-language movies like The Lobster and The Favourite, he retained his strange style while projecting it on a much broader, slightly more accessible scale.
Using trustworthy Hollywood stars, particularly Emma Stone, Lanthimos has long proved that you can find popularity with an unconventional cinematic language if you make it playful enough. The darkest parts of his films still possess an innate humour, and it’s this bizarre mixture of tone that keeps us on our toes and subsequently on the edges of our seats.
You’d think that it would take a lot to make someone with such a singular and idiosyncratic sense of cinematic style jealous, but there’s one recent movie that left Lanthimos mesmerised and envious of the filmmakers’ decisions. Talking to Variety, he revealed how he was captivated by the Safdie brothers’ Uncut Gems, the hit crime thriller that really put the pair on the map as unmistakable talents.
Lanthimos revealed, “The rhythm is relentless, the sound too, I would even dare say that it’s like watching a Robert Altman film that was dipped in acid. But all that can’t describe the film accurately either. Ben and Josh have created their own complete world – as they usually do – within a real world, that of Diamond District in New York.”
The director really couldn’t believe how well the sibling directors’ bold choices paid off, adding, “The balance they achieved between the naturalistic and the heightened elements is masterful. I was always impressed – frankly jealous – by their casting skills and instincts.
“They manage to create a seamless cast of characters by working with people that have never acted before all the way to veteran actors that in the end seem that they were meant to be part of the Safdies’ universe.”
From Julia Fox making her acting debut to Adam Sandler playing wildly against type, the Safdies knew they were taking various cinematic risks, but they paid off beautifully. Lanthimos isn’t wrong – there is so much energy pulsating through the film, it’s a whiplash-inducing journey into the dark and chaotic heart of greed, ambition, and criminality.
Uncut Gems was a hit, reminding us that Sandler really can turn in an incredible performance when he’s given the chance. Lanthimos continued, “It’s one of Adam Sandler’s best performances – along with Punch Drunk Love and The Meyerowitz Stories – proving once more he’s a truly great actor but also the perfect choice to play this character.”
Adding, “Because from within Ben and Josh’s unique style and cinematic voice, it’s the human element that stands out and makes everything fall into place, the flawed characters that we love, even in their most embarrassing moments.”
Perhaps in another universe, there’s a Lanthimos-directed version of Uncut Gems. Now that would be interesting.
