Uncut Gems is the perfect Netflix movie to watch if you miss the NBA

Uncut Gems is the perfect Netflix movie to watch without the NBA

If you’re missing the NBA, Uncut Gems is a great Netflix movie to watch right now.

This is usually a time of year when the NBA playoffs are well underway. During these weeks last year, the conference finals took place, then the finals started in late May and ended in June. This year, the NBA has postponed its season amid the coronavirus pandemic.

NBA fans have been getting their fix of basketball content with The Last Dance, a documentary series on Michael Jordan. But if you’re looking for something pretty different, there is a great movie that came to Netflix this week: Uncut Gems.

Are you a sports fan? Are you looking for an adrenaline rush after being inside for so long? Uncut Gems can fulfill on both of those fronts.

Uncut Gems is a wild ride that takes the viewer into a suspenseful and just-believable world of sports gambling and the jewelry business.

You might think I’m being hyperbolic when I say that it’s an adrenaline rush, but there is something about the way the Safdie brothers — Josh and Benny, who directed the movie — approach films that deliver that kind of feeling.

The movie runs music in the background of dialogue, which might take away from the plot in other movies, but it gives this one a disorienting effect that can lead to getting caught up in the arguments and altercations throughout.

Oneohtrix Point Never did the score for the film. He worked on Good Time, another Safdie brothers’ movie that is similar in its ability to deliver a nerve-racking sequence of events. Josh Sadfie told NPR that he thinks “you’re hearing this music that should be calming, but it’s actually anxiety-inducing” in Uncut Gems. The music is slow but the way in which it’s used definitely adds to the calamity in the film.

Honestly, the movie made me want to stop watching at times, but that’s because it was so good at delivering what it promises. With the stakes at play and the problems that unravel for Howard Ratner (played by Adam Sandler), there is a feeling that I usually reserve for comedies, where I barely handle how far the plot is willing to go to make the characters’ lives more unfortunate.

If you want extensive recaps or analysis of past basketball games, this probably isn’t the movie for you. But the way in which Ratner watches games with a passion can be agonizing on a relatable level. And the way Kevin Garnett plays himself and comes off as an intimidating, serious figure adds an interesting dimension to the movie. Mike Francesa, a very well-known New York sports radio personality, even makes an appearance. The film gives the average basketball fan plenty of moments to appreciate.

Sandler, Garnett and Francesa — those three bring a sports flavor to a plot line based on violence, suspense and thrill. What better movie, for when the NBA isn’t on in May and you’re looking for an extra dose of excitement while staying inside.

Check out Uncut Gems on Netflix if you’re missing the NBA season!