Sharper movie review

MOVIE TITLE: Sharper

This crime thriller produced by A24, Picturestart, and Apple Original Films is now available on Apple TV

RATING: R

LENGTH: 1 hour 56 minutes

MOVIE REVIEW MOM GRADE: B-

IN A NUTSHELL:

The screenplay was written by Brian Gatewood and Alessandro Tanaka, and was on the Blacklist of best-unproduced screenplays in 2020. It was directed by Benjamin Caron.

The story is about several con artists who take on some Manhattan billionaires.

We’re told that a “sharper” is someone who lives by their wits.

THINGS I LIKED:

The fantastic cast includes Julianne Moore, John Lithgow, Sebastian Stan, Justice Jesse Smith, and Briana Middleton. They all do an excellent job.
The challenge is for the film to outwit its audience without our seeing what’s going to happen because it’s so obvious.
I love twists. There are lots of twists.
The party scene features Grammy Award-winner Samara Joy!
The filmmaking is stylish.
One of the characters asked another one which was her favorite movie. What would be YOUR answer? Comment below!

THINGS I DIDN’T LIKE:

There are a lot of characters and storylines to keep track of, especially as we try to figure out how everything worked.
Many conversations happen in whispers, often making it difficult to hear everything that’s said.
It’s helpful to know ahead of time that the story is not told in a chronological, linear way.
Acts 1 & 2 move fairly slowly but then speeds up in Act 3.
The movie thinks it’s more clever than it really is.

TIPS FOR PARENTS:

Kids will be bored.
Unmarried couples sleep together.
Profanity, including quite a few F-bombs
We see someone shoot and kill another person
Bloody deaths

THEMES:

Con artists
Heists
Greed
Deception
Betrayal
Money

INTERESTING LINES:

“How do you do what you do?” – Sandra (Briana Middleton) “Practice.” – Madeline (Julianne Moore)
“No one will notice the con when people don’t look for it.” – Madeline (Julianne Moore)