With Joaquin Pheonix’s polarizing portrayal of the Arthur Fleck in the Todd Phillips’ Joker movie still fresh in our minds, it hard to imagine anyone topping his performance, but after receiving nominations for both an Indie Spirit Award and Gotham Award over the past few weeks, Adam Sandler has quickly emerged as a dark horse contender for a Best Actor nomination at the 92nd Academy Awards.
Although it might be hard to believe given his track record over the past 10 or 20 years, Sandler’s most recent performance as Howard Ratner in Josh and Benny Safdie’s latest film about a loudmouthed jewelry store owner and compulsive gambler whose life is sparingly out of control… is nothing short of brilliant. As a matter of fact, after watching the film, Todd McCarthy of The Hollywood Reporter called it Sandler’s “best performance.”
“Many will agree that this is Sandler’s best performance, and the Safdies will finally move from the fringes of the commercial film scene to somewhere closer to the center.”
The Sandman has made some terrible movies over the years, that we cannot deny, but let’s not forget the former SNL cast member has starred in some of the most beloved comedies ever made. Have there been some duds? Yes. Do we wish Jack and Jill never existed? Big time. But rather than focusing on his flops, we prefer to remember him for classics like Happy Gilmore, The Wedding Singer, and my personal favorite, Big Daddy. I mean… how many of you have been in a McDonalds, heard a child crying and hilariously said to yourself, “Will someone get the kid a Happy Meal?” …but I digress.
Despite his impressive performance in Paul Thomas Anderson’s Punch Drunk Love, the Brooklyn native has never been nominated for an Oscar but if the hype surrounding his most recent performance continues to grow, Sandler will more than likely receive an Oscar nomination and as a longtime fan of the comedian, nothing would make me happier.
What are your thoughts on Adam Sandler potentially receiving a Best Actor nomination for his performance in Uncut Gems? If he does get nominated, do you think he stands a chance of beating the likes of Adam Driver (Marriage Story), Robert De Niro (The Irishman), Joaquin Pheonix (Joker) or Leonardo DeCaprio (Once Upon A Time In Hollywood)? Let us know in the comments below.
Uncut Gems opens on December 13, 2019.
Source: Variety