“Sharper,” a crime thriller starring Julianne Moore and Sebastian Stan, currently holds the tenth spot of the most watched list on the platform worldwide, according to FlixPatrol. The film was originally released in 2023, and it’s directed by Benjamin Caron.
Caron is known for his work on prestige TV, helming episodes of Netflix’s “The Crown” and Disney+ series “Andor.” This time he directs from a script written by Brian Gatewood and Alessandro Tanaka, who previously worked on Jonah Hill’s comedy “The Sitter.”
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Apart from Moore (who also serves as a producer) and Stan, “Sharper” stars Justice Smith, Briana Middleton, and John Lithgow. The movie, distributed by A24, received lukewarm reviews for its intricate plot, while critics praised actors’ performances.
What is ‘Sharper’ about?
“Sharper” tells the story of different cons and scams from a group of people who don’t show who they really are, or their real intentions. However, the story is told from different perspectives and timelines, so the viewer is always in the dark.
The story opens presenting Tom, played by Smith, who is the owner of a small bookshop in lower Manhattan. One day, Sandra (Briana Middleton) comes looking for a copy of Zora Neale Hurston’s “Their Eyes Were Watching God.”
After a couple of flirty exchanges, the pair starts a romantic relationship and here it is where things start to complicate. Sandra tells Tom that she needs to pay off a $350,000 debt to some dangerous people because her brother is a drug addict, and he offers to do so, as he happens to have that sum. However, after he does so, she disappears.
What did critics say about the film?
On Rotten Tomatoes, 69% of 142 critics’ reviews are positive. Rene Rodriguez for Variety writes that: “A deep ensemble cast is game for this ambitiously overwrought material, but no amount of committed acting can overcome the movie’s manipulative artifice.”
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Alex Godfrey, for Empire, writes: “It’s all plot, and not nearly enough humanity — it would be a whole lot more effective if we were given more reason to actually care about these people, or about what happens to any of them. If you’re up for diverting yarn, it is definitely that. But only that.”
