The last film by the Safdie brothers was Good Time and a lot of that film’s milieu and style parallels this one (my review). Adam Sandler plays a frenzied, somewhat obnoxious jeweler in New York City. The big score that drives the narrative is complicated by his side trips into compulsive gambling, the resulting multiple debtors and marital infidelity. Sandler relishes the opportunity to play this oversize character. The Safdie’s have crafted the film with an adrenaline-fused style that propels the action with a convincing supporting cast, noisy situations and an energy continually verging on chaos and calamity. In an attempt to tweak the tension even more, they’ve added a rather incongruous soundtrack. Some will find this film (and Sandler’s performance) mesmerizing. Although I appreciated what the directors are doing, I never found Sandler’s character sympathetic or compelling.
(3.5 / 5)