Culture
Lowlifes, Liars, and Thieves: The Cinema of the Safdie Brothers
By: Gordon Briggs
Posted on:
The new film, Marty Supreme, has generated both critical praise and serious award-season buzz for its director, Josh Safdie. However, before he went solo, Safdie was part of a directing duo with his brother Ben. Together, the two turned out a series of gritty, frenetic crime films, each set in New York, and each dealing with scoundrels and lowlifes who live on the margins of life. Here are three memorable movies from the Brothers.
The first is Heaven Knows What. Some movies I am hesitant to recommend. While I enjoy this gritty movie about addiction, its style can be so abrasive that I’m not sure you will enjoy it. With Heaven Knows What, we follow the story of Harley, who spends most of the film wandering the streets of New York City, panhandling or looking for a fix. As unpleasant as it can be, this movie illustrates the director’s particular style of cinematic realism. The film feels authentic due to its casting and capturing genuine improvised moments that never feel like you’re just watching ‘acting’. ★★★
True to its title, Good Time is a perfect time. The movie has got that same edgy nocturnal energy that made films like The Warriors (1979) and After Hours (1985) such a thrill. Taking place over one crazy night in New York, this crime flick is bolstered by its sweet synthesizer soundtrack and Robert Pattinson’s strong lead performance as a small-time thief trying to break his brother out of jail. Similar to their other films, Safdie’s style lends the film a sense of immediacy. This is a crime film that unfolds via intense close-ups, jittery handheld camera work, and a pulsing synth score that directly reflects the anxiousness and desperation of its protagonist. ★ ★ ★★
The final film is Uncut Gems. It’s not enough for Uncut Gems to just be better than Sandler’s other movies; the actor’s performance must carry this entire film, or else it fails. I can say without hesitation that Sandler hit a home run here. Here, Sadler plays a charismatic jeweller after discovering a rare gem, who makes a high-stakes bet that could lead to the windfall of a lifetime. With its agitated visual style and cast of New York lowlifes, this movie about a gambling addict looking for his next score sustains a feeling of organized chaos that effectively simulates the adrenaline that pumps through the veins of an addict. ★ ★ ★1/2