Yorgos Lanthimos on the Safdie Brothers’ Uncut Gems: A Filmmaker’s Envy

Yorgos Lanthimos has built a reputation for shaking up expectations, often leaving audiences a bit rattled but always making a mark that lingers. Even years after first seeing Dogtooth, its oddball take on control and manipulation—complete with licking, fighting, dancing, and worse—sticks in the mind. When Lanthimos moved into English-language films like The Lobster and The Favourite, he kept his offbeat style but made it more accessible, especially by working with big-name stars like Emma Stone. He’s shown that you can win over the mainstream with a quirky approach, as long as you keep things playful. Even the darkest moments in his films have a streak of humour, and it’s this strange mix that keeps punters guessing and glued to their seats.

Given his unique style, you’d reckon it’d take something special to make Lanthimos feel a twinge of envy. But there’s one recent film that did just that. In a chat with Variety, he opened up about how the Safdie brothers’ Uncut Gems left him both captivated and a bit jealous of their choices. He said,

The rhythm is relentless, the sound too, I would even dare say that it’s like watching a Robert Altman film that was dipped in acid. But all that can’t describe the film accurately either. Ben and Josh have created their own complete world – as they usually do – within a real world, that of Diamond District in New York.

Uncut Gems: Relentless Energy and Bold Choices

Lanthimos was genuinely taken aback by how well the Safdie brothers’ bold moves paid off. He added,

The balance they achieved between the naturalistic and the heightened elements is masterful. I was always impressed – frankly jealous – by their casting skills and instincts. They manage to create a seamless cast of characters by working with people that have never acted before all the way to veteran actors that in the end seem that they were meant to be part of the Safdies’ universe.

From Julia Fox’s first time on screen to Adam Sandler playing completely against type, the Safdies took some big risks, but they landed perfectly. There’s a real charge running through the film, a wild ride into the messy world of greed, ambition, and dodgy dealings. Uncut Gems was a hit, and it reminded everyone that Sandler can deliver a top-notch performance when he gets the right role.

Adam Sandler’s Standout Role

Lanthimos didn’t hold back in his praise for Sandler, saying,

It’s one of Adam Sandler’s best performances – along with Punch Drunk Love and The Meyerowitz Stories – proving once more he’s a truly great actor but also the perfect choice to play this character.

He went on,

Because from within Ben and Josh’s unique style and cinematic voice, it’s the human element that stands out and makes everything fall into place, the flawed characters that we love, even in their most embarrassing moments.

It’s not hard to see why Lanthimos was so taken with the film. The Safdies’ knack for blending raw realism with heightened drama, and their ability to pull together a cast that feels both fresh and perfectly in tune with their world, is something any filmmaker would admire. The energy, the chaos, and the humanity at the heart of Uncut Gems make it a standout.

What If Lanthimos Directed Uncut Gems?

There’s a cheeky thought that maybe, somewhere out there, there’s a version of Uncut Gems with Lanthimos at the helm. Now, that would be something to see.