It's certainly not about gems!īut let's start with the fun stuff: How does sports betting work, and what exactly were Howard's bets?
Since every review describes Sandler's Howard Ratner as a 'gambling addict' - even though he just needs ONE BET to come through and everything will be FINE - it's important to understand how the details of the bets he makes relate to the film's themes, which are all about the exploitation and insatiable, constant expansion required in a capitalist nation hurtling toward its own destruction without any ability to stop itself. Among other things! But if you happen to be a moviegoer with no connection to compulsive sports betting - wow, no need to go all holier-than-thou - you may have missed some of the nuances of Howard Ratner's (Sandler) risky gambles, because 'he has to win' is all the comprehension required to follow along with the basics. Uncut Gems, the frenetic Safdie brothers thriller, has generated near-universal praise thanks to Adam Sandler's Oscar-worthy performance, the teethgrinding tension packed into virtually every second of the movie's runtime, Kevin Garnett's acting chops, and the bedazzled Furby.
This story contains major spoilers for Uncut Gems.
