It’s the teeth. Seriously. If you want to understand why Adam Sandler Uncut Gems became a cultural reset for the guy who gave us Billy Madison, look at the dental work. Those blindingly white, slightly oversized veneers he wore as Howard Ratner weren’t just a prop. They were a signal. A "look at me, I'm winning" scream in a world that was constantly trying to punch him in the face.
Most people went into the theater in 2019 expecting a "serious" Sandler movie. Maybe something like Punch-Drunk Love but with more jewelry. What they got was a two-hour panic attack.
Why Howard Ratner isn't just a "Gambler"
We call Howard a gambling addict because it’s easy. It’s a label. But Josh and Benny Safdie—the directors who spent a decade trying to get this movie made—didn’t write a story about a guy who likes poker. They wrote about a guy who is addicted to the possibility of the win.
Honestly, Howard is a chaos engine.
Think about the setup. He’s a jeweler in New York City’s Diamond District. He owes money to everyone. His brother-in-law, Arno (played with a terrifying, quiet oiliness by Eric Bogosian), is sending goons to dangle him over buildings. His marriage to Dinah (Idina Menzel) is a smoking crater. And yet, Howard is smiling. He’s talk-smiling through those fake teeth, convinced that the rare black opal from Ethiopia—packed in a frozen fish, of all things—is his ticket to the promised land.
It’s not just about the money. It’s about the hustle.
The Kevin Garnett Factor and the "Magic" Opal
One of the wildest things about the movie is how it blends reality. Kevin Garnett isn't just a cameo. He’s a co-lead. Playing a 2012 version of himself, KG becomes convinced the opal has mystical powers.
It’s a bizarre, magnetic chemistry.
Sandler and Garnett have this scene in the back of the jewelry shop that feels less like a script and more like a documentary of two guys trying to out-maneuver the universe. Howard sells the opal as "old-school, Middle-earth" history. He’s not just selling a rock; he’s selling a legend. And when KG takes the opal and starts playing like a god, Howard doesn’t do the smart thing. He doesn't pay his debts.
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He doubles down.
He parlays the money. He bets it all on KG. It’s the ultimate "This is how I win" moment. That line has become a meme, but in the context of the film, it’s heartbreaking. It shows Howard’s fundamental flaw: he can't recognize a finish line. To him, the win is just fuel for the next bet.
The Oscar Snub That Changed the "Sandman"
Let’s talk about the 2020 Academy Awards. It was a robbery.
Sandler won Best Actor at the National Board of Review. He was getting the best reviews of his entire life. Critics were calling it a career-defining turn. Then the Oscar nominations came out, and his name wasn't there.
His reaction? Classic Sandler.
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He tweeted, "Bad news: Sandman gets no love from the Academy. Good news: Sandman can stop wearing suits." He also joked on Howard Stern's show that if he didn't get the nomination, he’d come back and make a movie "so bad on purpose" just to make everyone pay.
But beneath the jokes, Uncut Gems did something more important than winning a gold statue. It proved that Sandler’s specific brand of "manchild energy" could be weaponized into something truly dark and sophisticated. He didn't abandon his persona; he evolved it. Howard Ratner is just a grown-up, desperate, Diamond District version of the angry, shouting characters we loved in the 90s.
The Ending: Why it Had to Happen
You can't talk about Uncut Gems without the ending. It’s brutal.
For two hours, the Safdies crank the tension. The music by Daniel Lopatin (Oneohtrix Point Never) is this synth-heavy, pulsating wall of sound that makes your skin crawl. You’re trapped in the shop with Howard and the goons. And then, the win happens.
The bet hits.
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Howard is ecstatic. He’s literally screaming with joy. And then—pop.
It’s one of the most sudden, jarring endings in modern cinema. But if Howard had walked away with the money, the movie wouldn't be a masterpiece. It would be a fairy tale. The tragedy of Howard Ratner is that he finally got exactly what he wanted, and he didn't even have five seconds to enjoy it.
How to watch Uncut Gems today
If you’re looking to revisit the chaos or experience it for the first time, here is the current state of play:
- Streaming: The film is widely available on Netflix internationally. In the U.S., it occasionally moves between platforms but is a staple of the A24 library.
- The "Vibe" Check: Don't watch this if you're looking for a relaxing Friday night. This is a high-blood-pressure movie.
- Key Detail to Watch For: Look at the secondary characters. Many of them aren't professional actors. The Safdies cast real people from the Diamond District to give it that "dirty glamour" authenticity.
- The Follow-up: Sandler is reportedly working with the Safdies again (though there have been rumors of them working separately recently). Keep an eye out for their next collaboration, which promises to dive into the world of high-end sports memorabilia collecting.
Actionable Next Steps
- Watch the "I'm Gonna Cum" scene again: It sounds ridiculous, but pay attention to Sandler's eyes. The pure, dopaminergic hit he gets from looking at the opal explains the entire movie.
- Listen to the Soundtrack: Stream Daniel Lopatin’s score on Spotify. It’s a masterclass in using sound to create physical anxiety.
- Check out Punch-Drunk Love: If you want to see where the "Serious Sandler" journey really started, Paul Thomas Anderson’s 2002 film is the perfect companion piece to Uncut Gems.