In this segment of our Colossus Movie Guide for Uncut Gems, we delve into the significance of the film’s title.
Cast
- Adam Sandler – Howard Ratner
- LaKeith Stanfield – Demany
- Julia Fox – Julia De Fiore
- Kevin Garnett – himself
- Idina Menzel – Dinah Ratner
- Eric Bogosian – Arno Moradian
- Judd Hirsch – Gooey
- Keith William Richards – Phil
- Mike Francesa – Gary
- Jonathan Aranbayev – Eddie Ratner
- Noa Fisher – Marcel Ratner
- Abel “The Weeknd” Tesfaye – himself
- Ronald Bronstein – Writer
- Josh and Benny Safdie – Writers and directors
Why is the movie called Uncut Gems?
At its surface, the title of the movie Uncut Gems may seem like a straightforward reference to the central plot device: a rare black opal that Howard a jeweler and gambling addict, acquires and attempts to auction. However, upon closer examination, the title holds deeper meaning and significance, providing a window into the movie’s most prominent themes and the complexity of its characters.
To fully grasp the meaning behind Uncut Gems, we must first understand what an uncut gem is. In their natural form, gems are rough, unpolished, and unrefined. They possess inherent value, but it is only through a skilled cutter’s hands that they can be transformed into the dazzling, polished stones we typically associate with beauty and wealth. The title, therefore, evokes the idea of potential waiting to be realized, and the untamed rawness that exists before transformation.
This concept of untapped potential is a crucial theme in Uncut Gems. Howard, a man of many flaws, is constantly chasing the next big score to solve his mounting problems. His life is a chaotic whirlwind of debt, family issues, and high-stakes gambling (a prominent motif of the film). Despite his poor choices, there is an undeniable charisma and relentlessness in his pursuit of success. He is an uncut gem himself, with the potential for greatness, but tragically flawed and ultimately undone by his vices. The movie’s climax, in which he finally achieves a massive win only to be killed moments later, is a sobering reminder that potential can be squandered when left untamed.
Additionally, the uncut gems serve as a metaphor for the underlying chaos that permeates the film. Howard’s life is a messy entanglement of personal and professional relationships, exemplified by his tumultuous marriage, affair, and strained ties with business associates. The raw, unpolished state of the uncut gems is symbolic of this chaos, which, like the protagonist’s life, threatens to spiral out of control at any moment.
The title also underscores the theme of greed and its destructive consequences. The black opal, although incredibly valuable, ultimately brings about Howard’s downfall. His obsession with the gem and its potential worth blinds him to the danger it attracts. In this sense, the uncut gems represent the allure of wealth and the false promise of happiness it offers, only to lead to suffering and destruction.
Also, the title’s reference to uncut gems evokes the idea of authenticity, a theme explored throughout the film. The characters, despite their flaws and morally questionable decisions, are portrayed as genuine and true to themselves. This rawness and vulnerability are reflected in the uncut gems, which, although unrefined, are real and untarnished by artificial enhancement. Howard’s refusal to change or compromise, even as his life spirals out of control, is a testament to this authenticity.
Let’s also not forget how the opening and closing scenes of Uncut Gems link together. At the beginning, the camera launches into a diamond to mimic traveling through the cosmos. And at the end, we received the same shot—but this time through the perspective of Howard’s bullet hole. This bookending device provides a profound commentary on all the above-mentioned themes. The uncut gem symbolizes Howard’s relentless chase of wealth. The opening shot symbolizes the allure of this case, but the final shot suggests the price we pay for that chase. Howard’s life becomes as expansive and as finite as the universe within the gem, reflecting the vast potential and the inevitable limitations of human ambition.
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