While many acclaimed actors like Robert De Niro and Leonardo DiCaprio are being discussed as awards contenders, one of the most talked-about performances of the year belongs to Adam Sandler in Uncut Gems. The film from Josh and Benny Safdie has Sandler playing a New York City jeweler desperately trying to get his next big score.
The movie is another stunning dramatic performance from Sandler who is not always praised for his acting work. However, while some people are calling this his best performance, many still think that title belongs to another film. Here are some reasons why Uncut Gems is Adam Sandler's best dramatic performance and some reasons why it will always be Punch-Drunk Love.
Uncut Gems: Raw
Part of the reason the Safdie brothers are among the most exciting filmmakers working today is the authenticity of their films. They might be wild rides, but they have real and raw energy to them. Sandler fully embraces this aesthetic in his performance which helps to sell the movie.
Sandler sheds his movie star persona which in itself is difficult and turns in an ego-less and real performance as a desperate and sick man. Sandler perfectly plays the role of someone that's hard to watch but endlessly compelling.
Punch-Drunk Love: First Time
When Punch-Drunk Love came along, Sandler was far from a critical darling. His comedies were big successes at the box office but were generally torn apart by critics. The idea of him starring in a Paul Thomas Anderson film sounded like a joke which is why the end result was so thrilling.
Though he'd proven himself to be a well-liked comedic actor, few knew Sandler had the potential for such a great dramatic performance. The surprise aspect of the film and Sandler's performance is part of what makes it so unforgettable.
Uncut Gems: Entirely New
Though Punch-Drunk Love was the first time Sandler showed his dramatic talents, Uncut Gems is him taking it to a whole new level. This is Sandler like we've never seen him before. As great as he is in Punch-Drunk Love, his character is almost like a more grounded and serious version of the characters he usually plays.
Uncut Gems is Sandler breaking away from anything he's done before and really stretching himself as an actor. It really proves that he has far more versatility than many people have given him credit for.
Punch-Drunk Love: Paul Thomas Anderson
The Safdie Brothers are incredibly talented filmmakers and they no doubt have plenty of great movies ahead of them, but they have not yet reached the peaks of Paul Thomas Anderson. Anderson will go down as one of the greatest filmmakers of all time and his amazing talent helped Sandler's talents shine through.
Though Punch-Drunk Love is one of his smaller films, it still displays Anderson's amazing skills. He was also a director who saw something in Sandler that no one else was seeing and helped bring that out.
Uncut Gems: Unlikable
Sandler is one of those actors who is just easy to like. Though his films don't always strike a chord with all audiences, he is likable and seems to look for those roles that make him seem like a good guy. But Uncut Gems shows how powerful it can be when he stops worrying about likability.
His character of Howard Ratner is a selfish, angry, and destructive person with very few redeeming qualities. Sandler doesn't try to make him seem any better than he actually is and totally embraces his ugly personality. But in a testament to his talents, he still makes you root for the guy.
Punch-Drunk Love: Love Story
Sandler has starred in his share of romantic comedies throughout his career, but none are anything like Punch-Drunk Love. Seeing Sandler in this strange love story where he is a vulnerable and lonely person looking for a little happiness put him in a new light.
This might be the first time in his career where Sandler was heartbreaking. We felt bad for him, he made us sad and we wanted him to find his happiness.
Uncut Gems: Transformative
With some actors, they have reached a certain level of stardom that it can be very hard to forget you're watching an actor at work in their films. Sandler is one of the most famous movie stars in the world, and yet he completely disappears into this role.
Though there is a little physical transformation, it is the strength of his performance that makes us quickly forget we are watching "funnyman" Adam Sandler and convinces us we are watching the downward spiral of Howard Ratner.
Uncut Gems: The Movie
Though smaller than some of the other awards-contenders of the year, Uncut Gems is undoubtedly one of the best movies of the year. As wonderful and beautiful as Punch-Drunk Love is, Uncut Gems deserves to go down as one of the all-time greats.
The fact that the movie is just a heart-pounding and nerve-wracking experience just helps to elevate Sandler's performance. He matches the frantic feel of the film and helps to bring to life this brilliant and original character.
Punch-Drunk Love: Sandler's Legacy
While some people might have scratched their heads at the idea of Paul Thomas Anderson casting Sandler in a movie, his past work actually makes him an obvious choice for the lead in Punch-Drunk Love.
The movie and Sandler's character serve as almost a deconstruction of Sandler's most famous and popular characters. The childish man prone to angry violence who must overcome his own issues to find love. It's a role Sandler is known for but presented in a whole new way that uses his legacy to reinvent him as an actor.
Uncut Gems: The Ending
Sandler has never tackled a movie as dark as Uncut Gems and it feels freeing to see him in such a role. It also allows him to take the character of Howard Ratner on a journey that is shocking, uncomfortable, and thrilling which leads to the inevitable conclusion.
No other Sandler movie has ended in such a shocking way and Sandler allowed himself to go there as an actor which results in a fascinating character journey.