Sharper on Apple TV+
With classwork piling on as the end of the semester is approaching, we all need breaks. When winding down, my friends and I love having movie nights. And boy have I found a great movie for you – Sharper.
It is a great thriller that is a great way to relax, and you should check it out on your next movie night. I was enthralled by the Sharper world and here’s why (spoilers below btw.)
Of all the bookstores in the world, Sandra wandered into Tom’s. It was the type of picture-perfect meet-cute that everyone dreams of happening once in their life. But, Sharper makes you rethink if you want to experience that moment. Then again, it wasn’t exactly fate.
Sharper stars Julianne Moore, Sebastian Stan, Brianna Middleton, Justice Smith, and John Lithgow. It was recently released on Apple TV. With six actors and nine characters, there are many twists and turns that I never saw coming- I literally had to pick my jaw up off the floor.
The storytelling is fantastic. We are introduced to the beginning of one character’s journey just as they exit another one, allowing us to put the pieces together ourselves. As I said, there are some truly astonishing moments, but they are spaced out nicely, which keeps the movie from dragging.
The characters’ stories were flawlessly interweaved until a certain point in time when the story moves forward completely. I only wish we saw Max’s backstory and how he and Madeline met.
Something I also noted was the use of shadow and light throughout the film. This is something that was also reflected in the character’s clothing depending on the situation they are in.
Sebastian Stan did a fantastic job playing Max. While he has a penchant or talent for playing characters with hidden secrets, it was hard at times to see if we ever saw the real Max. However, the last situation we see Max and Julianne Moore’s characters, Madeline, is absolutely fantastic work by both of them.
Moore’s character was perfect for her, and as a result, her performance was flawless. Without giving anything away, will you be happily surprised at the end… or at least really shocked?
Justice Smith plays Tom with such vulnerability and kindness
Middleton playing Sandy/Sandra is phenomenal. She plays a kind graduate student just as honestly as she plays a drug-addicted parolee.
If you are wondering why I mention Sandy and Sandra, it’s because despite being they aren’t the same person. Confused well spoilers ahead-
Sandy is someone on parole when Max helps her out of a situation with a parole officer who is willing to be bought. Max subsequently buys Sandy’s help because of that and turns her into a grifter to use her for revenge under the guise of working for him.
Max teaches Sandra that you can’t cheat on an honest man and that is why one never feels sorry for the mark- this is something Max and Madeline learn firsthand at the end. Sandy meets Tom and through a carefully planned game gets his revenge against Madeline to get the money he believes he is owed and poor Tom is stuck in the middle. That is until he takes things into his own hands after Sandy finds a conscience as Tom is a good man.
The Mexican stand-off at the end and the reveal of how everyone is more or less redeemed or paid their dues, some quite literally, is amazing. I was enthralled trying to figure out what would happen next or how Madeline would get, or try to get out of it. I noticed certain things that, while at the time, didn’t make sense; it did at the end. It turns out the meet-cute did have a happy ending, so who knows, maybe you will want the meet-cute after all.
It is a fantastic movie that is extremely entertaining. I highly recommend watching Sharper as it’s perfect for your next movie night! Check it out now on Apple TV+