Uncut Gems

Uncut Gems
A black and white image of Howard Ratner (Adam Sandler) with a tissue paper stuffed into one of his nostrils.
Theatrical release poster
Directed byJosh Safdie
Benny Safdie
Written by
Produced by
Starring
CinematographyDarius Khondji
Edited by
  • Ronald Bronstein
  • Benny Safdie
Music byDaniel Lopatin
Production
companies
Distributed by
Release dates
  • August 30, 2019 (2019-08-30) (Telluride)
  • December 13, 2019 (2019-12-13) (United States)
Running time
135 minutes[3]
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$19 million[4]
Box office$50 million[4]

Uncut Gems is a 2019 American crime thriller film[5] directed by Josh and Benny Safdie, who co-wrote the screenplay with Ronald Bronstein. It stars Adam Sandler, LaKeith Stanfield, Julia Fox in her feature film debut, Kevin Garnett, Idina Menzel, and Eric Bogosian. The film tells the story of Howard Ratner (Sandler), a Jewish-American jeweler and gambling addict in New York City's Diamond District, who must retrieve an expensive gem he purchased in order to pay off his debts. Filming took place from September to November 2018. The original score was composed by Daniel Lopatin. Uncut Gems is the last film directed by the Safdie brothers before dissolving their partnership in 2024.[6]

The film premiered at the 46th Telluride Film Festival on August 30, 2019. A24 gave it a limited release in the United States on December 13, 2019, and a wide release on December 25. Uncut Gems was a box office success and received acclaim, especially for Sandler's performance, which several reviewers described as the best of his career. The film was chosen by the National Board of Review as one of the top ten films of 2019.

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference A24 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Barfield, Charles (September 12, 2018). "Lakeith Stanfield Joins The Safdie Brothers' 'Uncut Gems' As Netflix Signs On For International Distribution". The Playlist. Archived from the original on November 29, 2018. Retrieved November 29, 2018.
  3. ^ "Uncut Gems". Toronto International Film Festival. Archived from the original on September 27, 2019. Retrieved September 29, 2019.
  4. ^ a b "Uncut Gems (2019)". Box Office Mojo. IMDb. Archived from the original on December 18, 2019. Retrieved April 7, 2021.
  5. ^ "Uncut Gems". a24films.com. Archived from the original on January 30, 2020. Retrieved February 3, 2022. an electrifying crime thriller
  6. ^ Shanfeld, Ethan (January 4, 2024). "Benny Breaks Out: The Safdie Brother on Going Solo, Making You Squirm With 'The Curse' and What He Learned From Christopher Nolan and PTA". Variety. Archived from the original on February 13, 2024. Retrieved January 4, 2024.