At the end the gangsters rob Adam's store. They break glass and steal jewelry, which implies that this jewelry is valuable. So if Adam has valuable jewelry in the store, why doesn't he access it when he's desperate for money earlier in the film?
shareJewelry stores, like auto dealers, don't generally own their inventory. They basically have it on loan from the suppliers. So while it's possible he could still take the jewelry and try to pawn it, anyone he would pawn it to would probably be aware of the source and the fact that he doesn't really own it. Now the other question is why didn't the gangsters simply take some of the jewelry earlier rather than continuing to rough him up and chase him around. I suspect that it is what they were ultimately getting to if nothing else worked, even if they hadn't killed him. But it would be last resort. While valuable, the store wasn't Tiffany's so it would probably take a lot of jewelry being fenced to make up for what they are owed.
shareBIG SPOILERS (of course)
1. Phil and Nico, the two thugs, weren't on their own, they worked for Arno. Whatever their desires, they had to clear it with Arno. Since Adam owed Arno money, robbing the store would be taking away inventory which had to be sold to make the money Adam owned Arno.
2. As Bruce says, below, most of the inventory is either "floored" meaning paid for by a loan company (or, knowing Adam, loan sharks). Thus stealing it means fencing it for less than it could be sold for, the proceeds going to Arno.
3. Again, the thugs are on Arno's payroll. Phil kills Adam in an explosion of anger, not on orders. He knows he'll be in trouble with Arno (at best) so he kills him too. Now they have to cover up the crime so they stage a burglary. THAT's why they "burglarize" the place, not to make a score. If they fence the gems, they'll be discovered and probably be on a hit list for others of Adam's creditors, so they'll probably dump 'em.
4. Phil and Nico aren't mental giants. There are cameras all over the store & at the end they are about to leave, with no thought to stealing or erasing any video. So, I figure they're doomed.
I just hope the father, played by Judd Hirsch, loses his money. What an A-hole! Plus I didn't like his character on Taxi, either. :D
How do you remember the thugs' names? ;-)
shareor sell his Mercedes, or give up his apartment and his girl on the side or stop gambling. Adam's character was a degenerate. That is why I don't know if I should view the ending as tragic, or justice finally catching up with the central character.
Jewelry is mostly junk. The jewelers' job is to fool costumers into paying insane prices. Have you ever noticed how nearly all jewelry stores advertise 50-80% sales all year long? So basically they pretend to sell you a $1000 ring for only $200, but it's actually worth $20.
That's why people are usually disappointed when they sell grandma's collection and get offered $200 instead of the expected $12 000.
Arno knows it. His goons don't.
According to this video here https://youtu.be/Aq1JSFcyyTE?t=355
The jewelry in the store isn't worth what it's valued as