20 Best Movie Performances Of 2019

10. Adam Sandler - Uncut Gems

Every few years, Adam Sandler takes a break from his lazy Netflix comedy vehicles to remind everyone just how great an actor he can be, but with his new crime thriller Uncut Gems, he gives without question the strongest performance of his decades-long career.

As gambling addict jeweller Howard Ratner, Sandler is an enervating cloud of anxious energy, a man who constantly makes the wrong decisions, and yet, the actor's just-charming-enough performance nevertheless makes us uneasily root for him to make it through the day.

It's a performance of shocking restraint by Sandler, making Howard a believable human being seemingly intent on hurling himself off a cliff with every wrong choice he makes.

It sure would be lovely to see him rewarded with a Best Actor Oscar nomination for his work, but between the film's aggressive filmmaking style - full of overlapping dialogue and loud music - and how stacked the field is this year, it's sadly not looking too likely.