Retro-Cast: If Uncut Gems Were Made In The '80s | ScreenRant
Uncut Gems is the pulse-pounding thrill-ride of a movie by the acclaimed Safdie Brothers. The blend of humor with gritty drama and sharp characters makes this movie a unique watch for even the most ardent film buffs.
Part of Uncut Gems' allure is the movie's skillful cast; a mix of veteran actors and newcomers that make each character seem realistic. Given the film's homages to gritty films of the '70s and '80s, the film's cast would look very different but no less talented if it were made in the 1980s.
10 The Weeknd - The Red Hot Chili Peppers
The Red Hot Chili Peppers' music is no stranger to movies, and the band would have made a sensible fit for the part that belonged to the Weeknd In Uncut Gems. In the film, the Weeknd plays himself and appears in a scene where he parties with Julia.
The Red Hot Chili Peppers arrived on the scene in the '80s and had a party reputation themselves. . The group was also massive basketball fans, in particular fans of Magic Johnson, even making a song named after the basketball star. This adoration of Johnson would have made a comingling between the two very easy to believe, especially when paralleled with Uncut Gem's casting of Kevin Garnett and the Weeknd.
9 Kevin Garnett - Magic Johnson
Kevin Garnett was a renowned power forward for the Boston Celtics. In Uncut Gems, Garnett plays himself as an eager potential buyer of the black opal. Garnett has a sterling track record in basketball much like his '80s basketball icon Magic Johnson.
The star player of the L.A Lakers, Johnson even won the Most Valuable Player Award in his rookie season. Unbelievably famous in this uber-successful period of his career, it would not have been far-fetched to imagine Johnson filling Garnett's shoes in Uncut Gems.
8 Nico - Udo Kier
Nico is one of Arno's henchmen along with Phil. Serving as Arno's enforcers, Nico and Phil provide muscle when Arno desires to be intimidating.
Udo Kier is a longtime character actor whose reputation has been solidified through his prolific filmography, as he has starred in over 200 films. Kier was often seen playing shifty or villainous characters who were untrustworthy. In the role of Nico, Kier could bring that dodgy, dangerous character type to this Uncut Gems role.
7 Phil - James Caan
The role of Phil requires an actor who is quiet but intimidating. At the same time, that silence has to be able to explode into a violent rage to match with Phil's actions at the end of the movie.
Had Uncut Gems been made in the '80s, James Cann would have been an absolutely perfect choice for this role. James Caan was renowned for playing hot-headed characters who could pop off at any given moment. Caan also has a burning intensity that he brings to all his characters; a trait that would have been useful in playing Phil.
6 Gooey - Tony Curtis
Gooey is Howard's father-in-law. More like a friend to Howard, Gooey is sweet and dedicated to him. Even helping Howard in his black opal scheme, Gooey is supportive to a fault.
By the 80s, Tony Curtis had been a high-profile regular in the film industry for over thirty years. Curtis had an accomplished acting range, adept at comedy and drama. He could have done an excellent job of Gooey as he was especially gifted at playing good-natured characters. Furthermore, Curtis's New York City roots would have fit with the New York Diamond District characters of the film.
5 Arno - Harvey Keitel
Arno is Howard's loan shark brother-in-law to whom Howard is indebted. Arno is inconspicuously intimidating as he glowers with silent rage.
Harvey Keitel's best-known characters displayed such intense rage that they were often intimidating even when there was a genial facade. His characters in Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore and Taxi Driver showed the actor could be disarming and sweet on the surface but later reveal the true sadistic and violent nature of his roles. This is in line with Arno, who puts up a nice front in front of his wife and Dinah's family but openly threatens Howard when the two are alone.
4 Julia Di Fiore - Jennifer Beals
Julia is Howard's much younger mistress who works in his jewelry store. Even though she and Howard have relationship issues, Julia is very supportive of Howard and comforts him in his times of need.
In the '80s, Jennifer Beals was fresh off playing Alex Owns in ther smash hit, Flashdance. Alex and Julia are both tough but ultimately sensitive people. Beals's charisma and cunning that she showed in Flashdance could be appropriately channeled in this performance.
3 Demany - Forest Whitaker
Demany is Howard's client recruiter as he finds interested buyers and brings them to Howard's jewelry store. Streetwise and well connected, Demany is Howard's right-hand man on many occasions.
The talented Forest Whitaker was gaining traction for his small but successful roles in Platoon and Good Morning, Vietnam in the '80s, making him a good choice for Demany. Also, Forest Whitaker has shown he excels at playing smart and confident characters, traits that Demany possesses. Whitaker's charismatic but muted screen presence is fitting for Demany's cool, aloof personality.
2 Dinah Ratner - Barbra Streisand
In such a fast-paced and stressful movie as Uncut Gems, there needs to be a grounding presence of calm. In the film, this presence comes courtesy of Dinah. Ratner Dinah is Howard's long-suffering wife whom Howard is reluctantly separated from. If this film was made in the '80s the best option would be for Dinah to be played by Oscar-winner Barbra Streisand.
Dinah can deliver the harshest truths to Howard but still manage to retain the audience's good graces. Given Streisand's talents in her varied comedic, dramatic, and musical roles, she could easily capture Dinah's likability while being strong enough to play the one character who doesn't fall for Howard's schemes.
1 Howard Ratner- Roy Scheider
Howard Ratner is the type of man for whom enough is just never enough. He's also a walking bunch of contradictions. He's selfish but sensitive while being extremely irresponsible yet having so many people depend on him. Howard seems to thrive on chaos yet nearly cracks under the pressure of the situations he gets himself into.
If this film Uncut Gems was made in the '80s, Jaws alum Roy Scheider would have made a fantastic Howard. Scheider's portrayal of All That Jazz character Joe Gideon showed that the actor was more than capable of playing frenetic, womanizing, self-centered rogues. As a result, Scheider would have made Howard a fully realized character who leaps off the screen.