Sharper

Ignore the critics, this is a wonderfully entertaining thriller with more twists than a Coney-Island roller-coaster! All of the cast are *excellent* in their roles, and, while you can sorta see the end coming, it doesn't make it any less fun. Yes, the final twist is a bit over-the-top (and no, it wouldn't even remotely work in real-life), but don't let that stop you from watching this movie. A Mametesque (there, I had to say it) mash-up of Spanish prisoner meets House of Games by way of Perfect Murder, (and yes, there are a number of Hitchcockian psychological turns that make everything worthwhile.) See it with friends, while sipping a young, impetuous, spicy cab or merlot...

This movie is clearly an 8, I suspect those giving it lower ratings can't appreciate a very well written character based film 🙄 cast is excellent and I only really worked out the twist as it happened. The story is split following each character in turn which helps develop the story as the film progresses and allows you to make the connections gradually revealing more info as you get into the film. If you are looking for action and large explosions don't bother but if you enjoy a good paced well written and crafted movie then go for it, you won't be disappointed. I really enjoyed it and for the life of me can't understand why it has an average of less than 7.

Sharper is a crime drama that follows four individuals involved in conspiracy, theft, and betrayal.

The plot follows a disjointed structure, where you spend four chapters with each of our main characters at different times in their lives. I really enjoyed this aspect as it made the narrative non-linear, forcing the audience to try to piece together the mystery as well as the chronological order of the film. This allure began to wear off after the third scene change, as it became quite predictable.

Our performances were pretty solid all around. Sebastian Stan is really good, and I am quite enjoying him in these more villainous roles, similar to his role in Fresh. Julian Moore and Briana Middleton were both highlights as well, their emotional range is fantastic. Justice Smith was okay at best.

Overall, this movie was an okay watch. It was paced pretty well for a two-hour runtime and had a lot of twists and turns throughout, even though the premise runs its course to absolute predictability by the third act.

Score: 64% Verdict: Decent.

As "Sharper" (2023 release; 116 min.) opens, we are introduced to "Tom". He runs (and owns?) a rare and used bookstore in Manhattan. A customer walks in, and we learn she is Sandra, a Ph. D. student at NYU. They hit it off, and Tom asks her out to dinner... At this point we are less than 10 minutes into the movie.

Couple of comments: this is the latest from British director Benjamin Caron. Here he brings us a psychological thriller in which a con plays out. The movie is super plot-heavy so I won't say another word about that, but I will make the general comment that it's frankly impossible to fully grasp who is conning whom exactly until the movie's last scene. In other words: you are watching a film where you have no idea what is going on as it is happening. Julianna Moore gets top billing but actually doesn't appear in the movie until about halfway through. John Lithow is her ultra-rich partner. Briana Middleton shines as Sandra. The movie is highly stylish, and at times comes across as neo-noir.

"Sharper" received a very limited 1 week US theatrical release and then started streaming on Apple TV this past weekend. I watched it just last night. If you are in the mood for a decent thriller that doesn't break any new ground, I'd readily suggest you check it out and draw your own conclusion.

If you want an easy watch at home with fun twists and great actors then I highly recommend this movie. It's 2023, do people really expect every movie to come out and be 100% original? Or based on real events? It was an entertaining, dramatized and fantasized movie about con's who obsess over money. Yes there was times where it was predictable but sometimes I found this fun to guess and get it right. I was also was very wrong with my predictions and was left surprised, In a good way.

Overall some of these reviews are way too critical for a movie that you can watch in the comfort of your own home. People saying the script was off but I have seen plenty of other movies with a much worse script than this. I would recommend watching it, don't listen to some of these reviews.