The Sadie Brothers Signature Style
Josh and Benny Safdie are widely viewed as two of the most promising filmmakers currently working today. Over the past decade, the duo have cemented themselves as auteurs of American cinema through their distinctive and uncompromising filmmaking style.
Film enthusiasts from an early age, the Safdie brothers have credited their fathers love for cinema as a key influence on their careers. Growing up bouncing between his house in Queens, and their mothers house in Manhattan, the brothers were raised amidst the the chaos of New York City. During their formative years, the duo would create countless short films and videos ranging in style, form, and tone, whilst trying to find their own voices.
They would develop their style significantly with their second feature, Daddy Longlegs. Inspired by their own upbringing, the film would portray many of the filmmaking techniques that the brothers would later become synonymous for. Shot on the streets of New York City, the duo used long lenses and handheld filming to create a documentary-like tone.
This would continue with the brothers next picture, Heaven Knows What. Based on the life and experiences of lead actress Arielle Holmes, the film would again use the streets of New York as the backdrop to an almost autobiographical story.
After receiving a call from Robert Pattinson, the Safdie’s quickly set about writing and casting him in their next film, Good Time. The crime-thriller would star Pattinson alongside Benny as two brothers after a bank-robbery gone wrong. The film would further develop the Safdie’s gritty stylized cinematography.
The Safdie brothers would revisit their long term passion project, Uncut Gems, next after more than a decade of development. Inspired by their fathers time working in the Diamond District, the brothers cast Adam Sandler as Howard Ratner, after initially pursing him for the role back in 2009. The film would continue the brothers use of casting non actors, such as Julia Fox and Kevin Garnett amongst many others. Uncut Gems also featured another outstanding score by electronic musician Daniel Lopatin, aka Oneohtrix Point Never.
