Uncut Gems

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🎙️ EPISODE 230: 01.13.20 The Safdie Brothers return with another anxiety-fueled thriller. While they didn't invent the form, they're quickly rising to the top as the masters of it. This film is excellent, though on a personal level it suffered FOR ME from a rare case of astronomic expeditions that couldn't possibly be met. Let me expound: Did I love their previous film so much that I consider it to be among the greatest of the decade? ✓ Am I an unapologetic super fan of The Sandman who feels that he still hasn't unleashed his best acting? Mighten we see it here? ✓ Do I gamble on sports + love the conceptual and literal world of sports betting? ✓

Is Mike Francesa, who I grew up listening to on the radio, playing a bookie named Gary in this movie, his first dramatic acting role? ✓

And so on and so forth. That I probably loved Good Time more isn't a knock on this. It shouldn't be, even if it feels like it is. I wouldn't be shocked if this isn't the more universally loved picture by the masses in the end. It was just too close to home in a lot of ways to cut that deep FOR ME.

Nitpicking aside, I still LOVED this movie. The Safdies' willingness to utilize actors with little to no experience, and in the successful way in which they do, is truly mesmerizing. Sure, I would love to see them step back from the frenetic pacing style at some point, but honestly: if this is their only mode from here on out, that would be fine. They do it extremely well.

CHRONOLOGICALLY
⫷ EPISODE 229 - (YOU ARE HERE) - EPISODE 231A ⫸

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