WatchSeeLookView At The LFF 2019 - The Surprise Film:- Uncut Gems

It’s one of the hottest tickets of the festival and this is the first time I’ve been to it. Every year, they pick out a film to be screened which won't be announced until you sit down in the cinema to watch it. Previously screened Surprise Films include Green Book, Lady Bird, Birdman and No Country For Old Men amongst others so it's often a good way to see something that may well end up heavily nominated come awards season. Judging by the response on Twitter, this year’s choice was somewhat divisive. Given that one of the heavily rumoured possibilities was an adaptation of Little Women, I have to say that I’m pleased with the way it did go.

Uncut Gems
Dir. Josh & Benny Safdie / Dur. 134 mins / Country. USA
Festival Strand:- Events
In A Nutshell:- A jewellery store owner races against time in an escalating series of bets and gambles in order to pay off a debt due for collection.

The Good:- I really enjoyed the Safdie Brothers’ previous film, Good Time, which had a similar gritty 70s crime drama feel to it (it’ll be all the rage these days thanks to Joker but they did get there first). This time, though, there is a strong element of black humour running throughout. Adam Sandler plays it straight here and proves as he did in Punch Drunk Love that he can pull off an affecting performance when not making, shall we say, less than hilarious comedy films; I’d happily watch him in other serious roles. It’s genuinely one of the most tense and stressful films that I’ve watched, ratcheting up the tension to almost unbearable points at times. It’s also one of the first films that has genuinely managed to convey to me, Mr Non-Sporty, the tension and excitement of needing to see a desired result in a sporting match - no mean feat! Also, being non-sporty, I didn't realise that Kevin Garnett was a genuine basketball player - playing yourself is often a tough thing to pull off on screen and he does a great job.

The Bad:- It is a very male-dominated film and that feels like something of a backwards step - it’s probably one of the themes of 70s films that it would be best not to replicate.

The Verdict:- I was completely absorbed by this film and thoroughly enjoyed it. Sandler is fascinating to watch when playing it straight and the Safdie Brothers have a style and energy to their filmmaking that sweeps you up. Definitely one to go and see.

The Venue / Intro / Q&A:- Back on the extra super recliners at The Odeon Luxe in Leicester Square (so very comfy). No live intro or Q&A but we did get a specially filmed intro from Sandler and the Safdies who couldn’t be there in person as it was Yom Kippur.