'Uncut Gems' ending explained; here's how Adam Sandler dies in the film

The Uncut Gems of the Safdie Brothers was a sleeper hit, and now that it's available on Netflix, millions of Adam Sandler fans are themselves experiencing the two hours of a delightfully stressful action drama. But a closer look at this new cult classic might reveal a deeper meaning behind its tragic protagonist's story. Uncut Gems stars Adam Sandler as Howard Ratner, a jeweller who falls deep into a gambling habit and has to plan and manage his way out of debt.

Uncut Gems plot

Howard Ratner is constantly looking for ways to multiply his money even if it could be risky. This leads him racking up a debt of $100,000 to a moneylender named Arno. His latest big bet is on a rare black opal from Ethiopia that is delivered to him at the start of the film. 

Howard Ratner has two children with his separate wife, Dinah. Apart from that, he is also in a relationship with his employee, Julia. Kevin Garnett, a basketball player, visits his office and becomes obsessed with the black opal. He wants to keep that for an NBA game with him. Ratner reluctantly agrees but keeps the championship ring as security for Garnett.

He then pawns the ring and places a bet on Garnett's play. But his bet is stopped by Arno. Howard has been able to find out that the person who brought Garnett to his office. Howard goes to the party and finds that Garnett still has an opal. At the party, he also finds Julia taking drugs with The Weeknd. He gets into a brawl with the artist, and he asks Julia to move.

Fortunately, Garnett returns the opal before Howard put it in the auction. Having discovered that the opal was valued for a much smaller sum of money, Howard persuades his father-in-law to bet on it, to raise its selling price. However, his father-in-law ends up having to buy it, as nobody matches the prize, including Garnett. Soon after that, Arno and his thugs attack him, asking for their money.

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The ending of Uncut Gems

When Howard returns to the office, Julia presents him with a tattoo of his name. Later, Garnett informs Howard he still wants to buy the opal. Howard sells the opal to him but, via the camera, sees Arno and his thugs at the entrance of his store. Right then, he makes a swift and bold decision: he gives Julia the money Garnett gave him and lets her leave the office. He also tells her to place a bet with all of the money on Garnett’s game.

For the money, Arno and his thugs threaten Howard but Howard refuses to call Julia and cancel the bet. When Arno and his thugs plan to arrive at Mohegan Sun, Howard locks them in between his doors. Julia succeeds in placing a bet. Howard eventually wins close to $1.2 million! He lets it out for Arno and his thugs. But one of the thugs from Arno shoots Howard and then shoots Arno too. The thugs then begin to loot the store. 

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Uncut Gems ending explained

The end explains how Howard's life revolved around gambling. It wasn't just about him having the money. He had lived for the gambling rush. That is why he was so fascinated with opal. It's been his big bet. It was a bet that he had worked for several months.

This thrill and approach towards life brought him into multiple sticky situations until he reached a point where it seemed impossible for him to save the day in the end. The last-minute gambling, however, paid off. Yet, he could not control everything (the temperament of Arno's bodyguard) and was killed.

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