‘Sharper’ movie review: Acting powerhouses stuck in a blunt con-drama

Julianne Moore and Justice Smith in a still from ‘Sharper’
| Photo Credit: Apple TV+

In a moment of weakness and sheer curiosity, I watched the trailer of Sharper and ruined the experience for myself. The footage lays almost all the cards on the table leaving nothing to your imagination, making it hard for one to remain interested in the plot for close to two hours. This really does fall into the quintessential ‘less you know about it, the better’ category of films.

You have been warned.

Told from multiple points of view, Sharper is a tale of deceit and manipulation. Set in New York City, the non-linear narrative style starts off with Tom’s (Justice Smith) point of view. A bookstore owner in lower Manhattan, Tom meets Sandra (Briana Middleton) who stumbles into his shop looking for a book. After an awkward back-and-forth, the couple decides to go on a date and eventually fall for each other with the beautiful New York skyscape adding character to the youthful romance.

Things take a turn for the worse when Sandra’s drug-addict brother pays a visit to Sandra’s house. After a scary de-escalation, Tom is made aware of the $350,000 her brother owes a drug dealer. Tom, who seems to miraculously have the amount in his account, despite being the owner of a small bookstore, comes to her rescue; Sandra flees with the amount and is never to be seen again.

This con is only the tip of the iceberg.

We are then exposed to Sandra’s past which is entwined with Max’s (Sebastian Stan), who has a stake in Madeline’s (Julianne Moore) actions. It is a complex web of con artists who set their eyes on the city’s rich, personified by Richard Hobbes (John Lithgow). 

There is a twist at every corner of the city and the rules of the game change with every dead-end leaving the audience famished. A good con while making you feel cheated brings a sense of exhilaration and contentment upon its unravelling; however, Sharper leaves you feeling disappointed in the low-brow con twists and sorry for the capable actors for being stuck in the rigmarole.

Briana Middleton is agile in shifting shape and pulls her weight alongside seasoned actors like Julianne Moore and John Lithgow. Sebastian Stan known for playing Bucky Barnes in the Marvel Cinematic Universe is ever-so convincing as the strategic yet temperamental Max. 

Director Benjamin Caron, famous for directing notable TV shows like The Crown, Sherlock and Star Wars: Andor, frames the con drama as a glitzy affair. While it is largely the writing that holds the movie back, the director glosses over the faults with gold-tinted glasses.

In an age where the rich make for rewarding targets and scamming the bougie has become a political statement and a lot of fun as seen in The Menu, The White Lotus and the Knives Out franchise, it is easy to get drowned in the noise; that is exactly what happens with Sharper. 

The film opens with the title card that says “One who lives by their wits”… we could only wish the writers stuck to what they intended on preaching. 

Sharper will release in select cinemas on February 10, and stream on Apple TV+ from February 17 onwards