Howard sees a way out of this debt by selling a large uncut opal from Ethiopia at an auction. Because we’re also addicts, chasing the next rush of responsibly experiencing irresponsibility.UNCUT GEMS stars Adam Sandler as Howard, an adulterous, foul-mouthed Jewish jeweler in New York City who owes a large debt to his loan shark uncle. And that’s why we keep watching movie after movie, show after show. It’s a feeling that’s addicting in its own right. In that moment you’re given both extremes: the highest high and the lowest low. Their elation for Howard and the vicarious feeling of winning the bet is immediately undercut by the consequences of living such an irresponsible life. In that moment, viewers are torn in two directions. His actions have been so horribly frustrating to the loan shark’s goons that the one can’t take it anymore and kills Howard. And then some.Įxcept, does any addiction actually pay off in the end? When Howard wins, he loses. That orgasmic feeling of triumph when it actually pays off and you realize you’ll keep all you risked. He did it! Against all odds, against all logic, against all the sensibility in the world-he succeeded. When Garnett actually comes through, securing Howard’s bet for a second time (and for real this time), many viewers will feel similar to Howard: a mixture of exultation and relief. However exciting the first game was, this is 100x that. With this climactic sequence, we watch knowing that Howard has not only gambled the money but his very life. Yet it’s fantastic to see what happens when Howard does it. Instead, he locks the brother-in-law between the security doors of the jewelry store and sends the girlfriend to bet all the money. We watch in horror and fascination as Howard doesn’t use the $175,000 to pay off the $100,000 debt to his loan shark brother-in-law. Howard was lucky enough the first time, right? There’s no possible way the bet could succeed a second time.right? To the responsible person, this is an absolutely horrible decision. After he sells Garnett the titular uncut gems (the black opal), he expects Garnett to have a similar game as before. Which is exactly what we see happen with Howard. Not only that, they want to experience the high of winning once again. They win something, maybe as little as $10, maybe $5,000, or $50,000, and it convinces them they can do it again. This taste of victory is the exact thing that happens to people. If only the brother-in-law hadn’t interfered! Something that could have screwed Howard over ends up saving him! What fun!Įxcept the bet was cancelled by the loanshark brother-in-law. When Garnett comes through, it’s a relief. The adrenaline he feels passes to the viewer and we get a surge as things unfold in Howard’s favor. There’s a whole sequence where Howard obsessively watches the game. The parlay relies on crazy variables like Garnett winning the opening tip-off, scoring x-number of points, the Celtics winning, and more. The first experience of gambling in Uncut Gems comes when Howard pawns Kevin Garnett’s championship ring and uses the tens-of-thousands-of-dollars to place a parlay bet on Garnett’s performance that night in the NBA playoffs. His irresponsible side prevents him from clearing his debt. Given Howard’s lifestyle, it’s clear he has money, makes money. The main tension in Uncut Gems is that Howard owes $100,000 to his loanshark brother-in-law. We’re simply satisfied with the fantasy.īut Howard Ratner gives us the opportunity to live out that irresponsible desire.Īnd that’s part of the tragedy. But most of us never place those bets because we know it’s not the responsible thing to do.
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