Anna Daniels
Now that Josh and Benny Safdie, the filmmakers behind last year’s sustained cinematic panic attack Uncut Gems, have given audiences around the world anxiety, they’ve reteamed with star Adam Sandler to provide a slightly lower-key viewing experience in the form of a new short film. Check out Goldman v Silverman below, a six-minute short in which Sandler and Benny Safdie face off as street performers in Times Square.
Goldman v Silverman Short Film
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I’ve only seen two of the Safdie Brothers’ movies so far (Good Time and Uncut Gems), so I’ll wait until I see more before I try to assess how this project fits into their entire body of work. But just as Uncut Gems pulled back the curtain and guided us into the world of Manhattan’s Diamond District, Goldman v Silverman gives us a look at a different subculture. I’m still grappling with whether I think this short has anything interesting to say. It ends with both men going their separate ways after their confrontation and seemingly expressing regret over having ever faced off in the first place. Perhaps there’s deeper meaning to be gleaned from the idea of two people who are fundamentally trying to do the same thing, choosing to dress it up in different ways, and ultimately not being able to find a compromise.
Or maybe it was just a great gag, a way for the Safdies to spray paint one of the world’s biggest movie stars gold and drop him in Times Square unnoticed among people who would probably lose their minds if they actually knew who they were looking at. Then again, maybe it being a gag and it actually having something to say aren’t mutually exclusive.
Either way, it’s clear that the directors have formed a great relationship with Sandler, who gave absolutely everything he had in their movie and turned in one of the most electric performances of 2019. And Sandler (who, again, is one of this planet’s biggest remaining movie stars) went above and beyond when it came time to promote Uncut Gems, something he didn’t have to do, but obviously wanted to because it was a project he was passionate about. Could this short film be an indication that Sandler will reunite with these guys again in another feature? Time will tell, but it’s unclear what the Safdies are working on next. They were once attached to a remake of 48 Hrs., but recently revealed that they’re no longer on board that project. Fingers crossed whatever they do next features another reunion with the Sandman.
Sandler v. Benny as street performers aka. GOLDMAN v SILVERMAN a new short film we threw together. Enjoy: https://t.co/7GzMB2bugK pic.twitter.com/CUQWXr0ZJP
— SAFDIE (@JOSH_BENNY) January 16, 2020
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