Though it was shut out at this year’s Oscars, Uncut Gems was still one of the most talked-about films of the year as well as one of the most acclaimed. From the Safdie Brothers, the movie stars Adam Sandler as Howard Ratner, a New York City jeweler and compulsive gambler working on his next big score.
The movie is an intense and anxiety-inducing journey through this destructive man’s various misadventures. Sandler gives a powerhouse performance, showing off both his comedic and dramatic chops. The movie is wonderfully written with some memorable lines that make us laugh out loud, cringe and even begin to understand what kind of man Howard really is. Here are some unforgettable quotes from Uncut Gems.
“I Made A Crazy Risk, A Gamble, And It’s About To Pay Off”
Early in the film, we see Howard dealing around town and always on the move. We might even get the sense that this guy is operating on a higher level than most people. But as we see more of what his life is like, we begin to understand that it is all a train wreck.
He insists that he is in the midst of making a massive deal that will pay off in a big way for him. As the story progresses and we see how addicted he is to this life, it becomes pretty obvious that this is not the first time he’s made promises like this.
“They Say You Can See The Whole Universe In Opals”
The titular “uncut gem” plays quite an important role in this story and is unsurprisingly uncut, coming straight from the mines of Africa and delivered to Howard’s hands. Though he has a lot riding on this stone, he cannot resist showing it off when NBA superstar Kevin Garnett visits his shop.
As he presents it to Garnett, he talks about its long, ancient history and the magic powers it is believed to have. The scene brings an interesting question into the story about whether or not there is something more than meets the eye about the stone.
“I Think You Are The Most Annoying Person I Have Ever Met”
As amazing as Sandler is in the film, he is surrounded by amazing actors who all do incredible work alongside him. One of the most impressive is Idina Menzel as Howard’s wife, Dinah. Menzel brings a lot of humor and power to her role as a woman who wants nothing to do with this man.
After his relationship with his girlfriend falls apart, Howard gives an impassioned plea to Dinah to give him another chance. She responds with a biting, brutal and hilarious takedown of him. Menzel delivers the lines with amazing glee which makes it all the more brutal.
“What’s Up With That? I Thought We Were The Chosen People”
The movie does an incredible job of showing how out of control and chaotic Howard’s life is with problems around every corner. We have a sense that something is going to catch up with him sooner or later but we don’t know which problem will finally be the end of him.
The movie even introduces Howard while he’s in the middle of a colonoscopy and the doctor’s discovering something. Later in the film, the doctor calls to let him know he’s all clear. Howard makes a joke about Jewish men getting colon cancer despite being the “chosen people”, without realizing that his bad luck might be his own doing.
“This Hasn’t Been Straight Since I Got Here”
Kevin Garnett is another member of the cast who gives a surprisingly effective performance despite this being his first acting role. Though he has only a chance meeting with Howard at the beginning of the film, even he is soon dragged into his messy world.
However, Garnett is quick to recognize the kind of man Howard is and confronts him on it. When they finally decide to make a deal for the stone, Garnett lets Howard know that he knows all the back deals he’s been making and giving Garnett the run-around. It’s one of the only moments where a character sits Howard down and confronts him with his behavior.
“I Want The Underwear”
The biggest and most threatening issue Howard has in his life is the money that he owes to a bookie named Arno (Eric Bogosian). As Howard tries to avoid Arno’s goons and keeps making excuses, things finally catch up with him as Arno’s men grab him during his daughter’s school musical.
As they rough Howard up, Arno wants to add insult to the injury by humiliating Howard. He has his men strip him to his underwear and stuff him in his own car trunk. As Howard tries to reason with him, Arno tells his men, “I want the underwear”. He’s done giving Howard anymore leeway.
“I Disagree”
It seems like Howard is operating in a different world than everyone else. Where everyone sees irresponsible gambles, Howard sees opportunity. It makes him a fascinating and frustrating character to follow as there seems to be no reasoning with him.
As he gets his hands on some money, Howard begins placing some very dangerous bets on Kevin Garnett during that night’s game. One of the bookies even tries to reason with him, telling him it’s a stupid bet, Howard simply smiles and says, “I disagree”. He is a man who cannot be swayed.
“I Never Resurfaced Anything”
As suspenseful as it is watching Howard putting his entire life on the line, there is a lot of humor in just how dishonest and destructive he can be. When Arno and his men take Howard, he tries to make excuses about where the money is.
Arno says he knows he has the money to pay him back because he knows he just resurfaced his pool. Howard denies it so earnestly and with such conviction that it’s clear lying is just second nature to him at this point.
“So Look… Let’s F**king Bet On This”
The entire movie, we are just waiting and hoping Howard’s multiple schemes will eventually pay off and he will get out of all this trouble. That moment finally comes when Kevin Garnett agrees to buy the opal, thus giving Howard enough money to pay back Arno.
But as Howard talks with Garnett about the game, we can see the fire building in Howard. Finally, he does what we all fear he was going to do, he uses the money to place another bet. At that moment we realize there is no helping this man.
“This Is How I Win”
The scene between Howard and Garnett proves to be one of the best in the movie and the moment we begin to understand what goes on inside Howard’s mind that allows him to make these seemingly destructive decisions.
As Garnett questions the ethics of Howard’s work, Howard defends himself by saying that these deals and these risks are what makes him like Garnett. They are both determined and unstoppable in their work and by taking those big risks and hoping for the big payoffs, Howard is looking for his win.
