Only two films have literally made me clutch the armrest of my couch, and they're both Safdie Brothers movies. Those two films are, of course, Good Time, and Uncut Gems, the latter I even wrote a whole article about, wondering how it didn't get nominated for Best Picture (even though Academy voters seem to know why).
Both films are a masterclass in suspense, and both feature highly unlikable protagonists. That said, you still want to see both of its “heroes” succeed, even though they're both thoroughly repugnant people.
So, after watching both of them again recently, it got me to wondering which movie is the better of the two. Well, you're about to find out.
Oh, and major spoilers for both movies up ahead.
Lead Performances
Every story needs a compelling lead. So, out of the two films, who gives the better performance?
Good Time's Lead Performance
The Batman's Robert Pattinson leads the charge in Good Time, and he gives one hell of a performance. In fact, when everybody kept complaining about “The Twilight Guy” being considered to play Batman, I frequently argued (quite loudly at that), "Have you seen The Lighthouse (which also should have been nominated for Best Picture)? Have you seen Good Time?"
In the film, Pattinson plays a jewel thief named Connie, who embroils his mentally handicapped brother (played by Benny Safdie) in a scheme that winds him in jail. The rest of the film sees Pattinson’s character messing up over and over again in order to get the money to bail his brother out. But, throughout the film, you see his tension ratcheting up, mostly in his eyes, as he comes to the full realization of just how deep a hole he’s dug himself. Really amazing stuff.
Uncut Gems’ Lead Performance
Adam Sandler gives the performance of a lifetime as Howard Ratner, a jeweler with a serious gambling problem. Ratner cheats on his wife with his employee, cheats Kevin Garnett out of his championship ring, and cheats his children out of a nice Passover by being a total schmuck of a father. So, all in all, a pretty crummy guy!
But, you still somehow want to see him succeed. I think it all comes down to Sandler’s charm, and the way he plays Ratner as a guy who really does believe he can win if he just keeps betting higher and higher. Ultimately, you just want to grab Ratner by the collar and shake him, but you know that wouldn’t do him any good. This is a man who is barreling toward oblivion.
Lead Performances Winner–Uncut Gems
Pattinson is superb in Good Time, but Sandler carries Uncut Gems, making him the winner in this category.
Supporting Roles
Leads are important, but so are the people who enable their bad behavior. So, which film has the better supporting roles?
Good Time’s Supporting Roles
There really aren’t that many supporting characters in Good Time, but the ones who are here are super impactful. The one specific character I want to mention, though, is Connie’s brother, Nick, played by one of the directors, Benny Safdie. He's mentally handicapped, and really has no business robbing a bank, but he’ll do it for his brother.
Long story short, he gets arrested, while Connie stays free, and you just feel terrible for Nick, even when he isn’t on the screen, which is most of the movie. The fact that you never forget him speaks volumes for his performance, making this supporting role a key feature in the film.
Uncut Gems’ Supporting Roles
There are actually a lot more supporting characters in Uncut Gems than Good Time, such as Kevin Garnett, who really is a pretty good actor, Howard’s mistress, Julia (Julia De Fiore), his wife, Dinah, played by Frozen’s Idina Menzel, and many, many others, including some mafia toughs.
But, while they’re all integral to the story, they all feel like they’re floating around Howard’s orbit. This isn’t a bad thing at all, but honestly, it’s Sandler’s show, and we’re all just along for the ride. The side characters included.
The Supporting Roles Winner–Good Time
The supporting cast is great in Uncut Gems, but none of them are as impactful as Connie’s brother, Nick.
Overall Tension
Tension is what makes viewers sit on the edge of their seats. So, which film has the more spine-tingling suspense?
Good Time’s Overall Tension
As just mentioned, you worry about Connie’s brother, Nick, being in jail in Good Time, and so you are constantly wondering if Connie is going to get the bail money to get him out. But, as the night wears on, you start to worry about whether Connie is even going to survive to the morning, and this creates a new sort of tension.
Because, what if Connie doesn’t survive? Then, Nick will probably be stuck in jail, and maybe even die in jail since he has violent tendencies and might mess with the wrong person. This is the tension that pulses through Good Time, and you can’t breathe until the very end. The tension is that thick!
Uncut Gems’ Overall Tension
Oh, God. I literally found myself holding my breath a few times while watching Uncut Gems. I don’t typically think of Adam Sandler as a dramatic actor (In fact, his recent comedies often make me feel like Sandler has lost his edge), but he plays Howard as one of the most realistic characters I’ve ever seen, as I’ve witnessed gambling addictions, and they honestly look just like this. In fact, one of my friends, who lost hundreds of dollars at Craps, once grabbed me by my shirt and begged me to pull him away from the Craps table, since he knew he couldn’t stop.
And, when I said, “Alright. Let’s go back to the room,” he came with me about halfway, but then darted off to the Roulette table. And, that’s exactly how Sandler plays Howard – like a man who would rather dig himself down to Hell then stop gambling. All the while, you worry for him, his family, and pretty much everybody around him. It’s so nerve-wracking! Great, but nerve-wracking, and it’s all the way through.
The Overall Tension Winner–Uncut Gems
Good Time is tense, but Uncut Gems is intense. So, it wins in this category.
Dark Humor
A film can’t just be tension, tension, tension. There has to be a release to that tension, and dark humor is often the solution. So, which film has the better variety of it?
Good Time’s Dark Humor
Good Time is not a very funny movie, but it has its moments. Like when one of my favorite rappers, Necro, enters the film as Caliph, who’s a friend of Ray. Necro, who calls himself a “master of the macabre” on his raps, is just naturally funny, and when he insinuates in the movie that he’s going to leave and come back to kill Connie, it’s darkly humorous.
And, how about Ray’s spill at the end from the building? Gruesome, yes. But it’s also kind of darkly funny how he came to his end. So, no ha-ha funny, but it's definitely darkly comical. It gets the job done.
Uncut Gems’ Dark Humor
Uncut Gems is almost hilarious in just how badly Howard is digging his own grave. Every time he messes with Kevin Garnett, even trying to bet against him at an auction, you can’t help but cringe at just how painfully bad things are going for him.
So, while I wouldn’t consider Uncut Gems a dark comedy like Pulp Fiction or The Big Lebowski, I think it somehow fits in that vein in a schadenfreude sort of way.
The Dark Humor Winner–Good Time
While I didn’t laugh when I watched Good Time, I did at least feel some of its dark humor lifting a bit of the dread, which was appreciated.
Gut Punch Ending
Tension throughout is great and all, but if that movie doesn’t have a gut punch ending, then all of that tension will be for naught. So, which movie has the biggest gut punch ending?
Good Time’s Gut Punch Ending
Connie gets apprehended by the police, Ray plummets to his death, and Nick gets to go to therapy, implying that he will end up okay. Not too much of a gut punch, but a satisfying ending nonetheless.
Uncut Gems’ Gut Punch Ending
Howard locks up the mafia members who want him dead, and forces them to watch him win the big payout he’s been angling at for the entire movie, only to get shot in the head for his troubles. Jeez.
Gut Punch Ending Winner–Uncut Gems
Good Time has a memorable ending, but nowhere near as memorable (and tragic) as Uncut Gems’ ending.
Overall Winner–Uncut Gems
Everybody should definitely watch Good Time, but the better, and more tense movie, is Uncut Gems, which I’m still upset wasn’t nominated for Best Picture. So, Uncut Gems wins!
