10 Movies To Watch If You Liked Netflix’s Uncut Gems

Distributed by A24 in the United States and Netflix everywhere else, Uncut Gems served as the Safdie brothers’ greatest film yet. Starring Adam Sandler in a critically adored performance, the movie follows a jewelry store owner and gambling addict who gets himself in trouble with some loan sharks – run by his own brother-in-law.

Most of the acclaim stemmed from Sandler’s performance, the fast-paced nature of the story, and the frenetic editing that never allowed viewers a chance to catch their breaths. There’s nothing else quite like Uncut Gems, but these movies come close. These are ten movies to watch if you loved Uncut Gems.

10 Heaven Knows What (2014)

It’s only natural to start this kind of list with another Safdie brothers production – in this case, their breakout hit Heaven Knows What. This movie is actually based on the true story of leading actress Arielle Holmes.

While scouting New York’s Diamond District for Uncut Gems, the Safdie brothers met the homeless and drug-addicted Holmes. Josh Safdie was intrigued by her story and offered to personally pay her to write a memoir. While the memoir went unfinished, it was eventually adapted by the Safdies into this grueling and powerful film.

9 Good Time (2017)

Perhaps the most obvious influence on Uncut Gems is Good Time, the Safdies’ follow-up to Heaven Knows What. If nothing else, Good Time proved the acting talents of Robert Pattinson, who before this was known primarily for his work in the Twilight series.

In this movie, he plays a bank robber who desperately tries to round up the necessary money to pay his deaf brother’s bail. Like Uncut Gems, Good Time is relentless in its approach, offering up a fast-paced and deliriously edited story that is sure to thrill and excite.

8 Collateral (2005)

While not a direct 1:1 comparison, the Safdie brothers borrow heavily from the work of Michael Mann. While Mann often employs a more contemplative pace in his films, they are stylized in a very similar manner, complete with noir-esque trappings, popping colors, and synth-driven scores.

One of Mann’s most stylish efforts is arguably Collateral, which portrays Los Angeles in a gorgeous light. The story spans the expanse of Los Angeles and takes place entirely over the course of one night, providing viewers with a silent, empty, and foreboding atmosphere.

7 Heat (1995)

Arguably Mann’s most popular film, Heat is beloved for two primary reasons – its cast and the final shootout in the streets of Los Angeles. This one concerns a professional bank robber (played by Robert De Niro) and a homicide detective (Al Pacino) tasked with tracking him down.

It sounds derivative, but it is anything but, offering up a more philosophical and personal approach alongside the usual “robbery movie” trappings. It all culminates in one of the best, most exciting, and most well-shot shootouts in movie history. Crime movies don’t get much better than this.

6 Thief (1981)

The last Michael Mann film on this list is Thief, a little-known neo-noir starring James Caan. Caan stars as Frank, a professional safecracker. The movie was based on a novel titled The Home Invaders: Confessions of a Cat Burglar, which was written by a man named Frank Hohimer.

However, this was a pseudonym for real-life jewel thief John Seybold. Seybold actually worked on the film alongside Michael Mann, even though FBI warrants were out for his arrest. He was eventually imprisoned in 1995 – the same year that Mann’s Heat was released.

5 Dog Day Afternoon (1975)

Uncut Gems was critically acclaimed for its unbearable tension. And one of the tensest movies ever made is Sidney Lumet’s Dog Day Afternoon. This masterpiece stars Al Pacino and the late John Cazale (who worked alongside Pacino in The Godfather films) as two bank robbers who hold up the First Brooklyn Savings Bank.

The movie was largely inspired by a real bank robbery that occurred at a Brooklyn Chase Manhattan in 1972. The movie was acclaimed and nominated for six Academy Awards, winning for Original Screenplay.

4 Rounders (1998)

Rounders shares a lot in common with Uncut Gems. It too concerns large amounts of money (in this case, cards instead of jewelry), it too stars characters who are greatly in debt to some dangerous people, and it too concerns the characters attempting to win large amounts of money in order to pay off the debt.

The movie stars Matt Damon as Mike McDermott and Edward Norton as his cheating, hustling best friend, Worm. The two play underground high stakes poker in order to win big and pay off Mike’s debts to the Russian mob.

3 The Gambler (1974)

The Gambler also stars James Caan, and it also deals with various high stakes card games and debts to the mob. Caan stars as Axel Freed, an intelligent and successful literature professor who is nevertheless addicted to gambling. Freed borrows from whoever he can, including his girlfriend, wealthy mother, and even loan sharks.

As his debts get worse, his personal life slowly spirals out of control until he’s hunted down by the mob. Like Uncut Gems, it all culminates in a fateful basketball game.

2 Victoria (2015)

Many of Uncut Gems‘ scenes are shot in a continuous take (or at least what seems like a continuous take). This helps keeps the action moving, it makes it feel more natural and realistic, and it helps aid in the movie’s chaotic style.

Those who love a good continuous take need to check out a movie from 2015 called Victoria. The entire movie is a shot in one continuous take, and according to the IMDb trivia, it only took three tries to get it all right.

1 Drive (2011)

Drive is the most Michael Mann film to not be directed by Michael Mann. Like many of his films, Drive takes place entirely in Los Angeles. Like his films, a lot of the action takes place at night, allowing the city’s lights to aid in the colorful and neon-soaked atmosphere. And like his films, it contains a gorgeous synth-driven score hearkening back to the ’80s.

The story concerns Ryan Gosling’s Driver, a Hollywood stunt driver who moonlights as a professional getaway driver for criminals. He falls in love with his neighbor Irene and soon gets tangled up in her dangerous personal life.

About The Author

Nathan Sharp
(852 Articles Published)

Nathan Sharp is a writer from outside Toronto, Ontario. He has a love of movies and television, having enjoyed them for more than twenty years. His preferences include drama, action, and horror, with the former being a particular point of interest and fascination.

He also has a love of video games, particularly those of Rockstar.

Whether it be about film, television, or video games, Nathan loves a good discussion and has written hundreds of articles for Screen Rant.

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