Sharper

Sharper is a slick and stylish, but flawed con man thriller. The Sebastian Stan and Julianne Moore-led film premieres Friday, February 17 on Apple TV+.

The film feels, in many ways, like a homage to the kind of modest genre thrillers that were commonplace in the 1990s. For most of its runtime, the film is a slick and efficiently well-told con man thriller, one that delights in keeping its audience on its toes just as much as it does in embracing its fictional con artists’ cold-hearted tactics. Sharper, in other words, makes the same mistake as so many of the con man movies that have come before it. The film’s final flashbacks rely, therefore, on viewers buying into the idea that Sharper‘s characters weren’t ever as intelligent as we’d been led to believe, which might have been easier to accept had its first hour not done such a good job of showing us otherwise. For most of the movie’s runtime, Gatewood and Tanaka maintain such a steady, controlled flow of information that it becomes easy to stay invested in Sharper‘s various twists, turns, and acid-tongued conversations. Caron’s emphasis on Sharper‘s various shades of blues, reds, and blacks also combines well with the shadowy cinematography that Charlotte Bruus Christensen brings to it. Behind the camera, director Benjamin Caron fills Sharper with enough intimate close-ups and smooth dolly shots to give the film a sleek, considered polish that only makes the sexy, duplicitous nature of its story that much more palpable. Even more importantly, it gives the film a chance to present certain details and events in a nonlinear fashion that doesn’t require it to constantly overexplain their importance to the audience. Tom falls hard for Sandra, so much so that he’s immediately willing to loan her $350,000 to bail her unseen brother out of a bad situation the moment she mentions it. Through a series of subsequent chapters, Brian Gatewood and Alessandro Tanaka’s script reveals that Sandra was not, in fact, a kindhearted and well-read student who just so happened to walk into Tom’s bookstore one day. One night, while Tom (Justice Smith), the naïve son of a rich businessman (John Lithgow), is preparing to close the New York City bookstore that his father bought for him, he’s approached by Sandra (Briana Middleton). As a matter of fact, every time the film cuts to a new title card bearing a different character’s name, it’s easy to imagine a reality in which Sharper’s story has been stretched out to accommodate a Netflix or [Apple TV+](https://www.digitaltrends.com/movies/new-on-apple-tv-plus/) limited series.

Sharper is the latest Apple TV+ movie to hit the platform. Here is where you've seen the cast before.

The actor also had a starring role in one of my [favorite video game adaptations](https://www.cinemablend.com/news/2489648/the-best-video-game-movies-including-detective-pikachu), Pokemon: Detective Pikachu, and is set to have a starring role in the upcoming [2023 film, Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Amongst Thieves](https://www.cinemablend.com/news/2573008/dungeons-and-dragons-quick-things-we-know-about-the-chris-pine-movie). Last but not least, we have John Lithgow, who is arguably one of the biggest names on this list and has been in Hollywood for a long time. Big nerd and lover of Game of Thrones/A Song of Ice and Fire. [plenty of other great movies](https://www.cinemablend.com/streaming-news/sebastian-stan-what-to-watch-if-you-like-the-marvel-actor) during his time in Hollywood, starting off with a lot of smaller movies and moving into bigger ones that won him a lot of praise. [sexy Amazon Prime movie](https://www.cinemablend.com/news/2552561/the-sexiest-movies-on-amazon-prime-you-can-stream-right-now), The Voyeurs, Paper Towns, and both Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, and its sequel, Jurassic World: Dominion. [The Hunger Games franchise,](https://www.cinemablend.com/movies/all-of-the-hunger-games-movies-ranked) where she played one of the villains, as well as her Academy-Award winning role in Still Alice. But she has appeared in movies such as The Tender Bar, and Augustus. He was also a part of the TV film, Paterno. [Marvel Cinematic Universe](https://www.cinemablend.com/superheroes/marvel-cinematic-universe) movies. [some awesome movies](https://www.cinemablend.com/news/2567126/the-best-apple-tv-movies-to-watch-right-now) over the last few years, ever since the service's launch. Next up is Sebastian Stan, another one of the main stars, and he plays Max. From the [Academy-Award winning CODA](https://www.cinemablend.com/streaming-news/coda-what-to-know-about-the-best-picture-oscar-winning-movie), to some of the latest films like Causeway, the streamer has been knocking it out of the park with some of its original films.

Julianne Moore and Sebastian Stan topline a throwback movie about con artists that maybe could have worked when movies were allowed to be titillating.

It bears the stench of everything somehow working out despite it all. [Julianne Moore](https://www.rollingstone.com/tv-movies/tv-movie-reviews/gloria-bell-julianne-moore-804440/) and [Sebastian Stan](https://twitter.com/rollingstone/status/1569510551599857664) as a pair of ne’er-do-wells who’ve mastered the art of intimate thieving. A lack of humanity is low on these characters’ laundry lists of personal issues. The movie’s got the lifestyle-envy sleekness of a commercial for a luxury sedan, a glossiness meant to remind us that certain of these characters have no souls, only surfaces and empty gestures and a gluttony for dollar bills. One of these people is lying to the other — a “sharper,” per the movie’s title, is a con artist. It’s also trying to tell us that everything playing out in front of us is sexier than it really is. Most deceptions are cleared up within the space of a scene or two; the movie is trying to tell us that lying, for these people, is second nature, hardly a secret worth keeping once the damage is done. We have fun because we’re expected to want to figure it all out, to get one step ahead of people who’ve read the script and know how this all ends. Deception, in this arena, is as tricksy as a chess match, only — if the movie is worth watching — the contestants emerge afterward with self-satisfied blood on their muzzles. It’s bigger than the two of them and their booklice. ( [John Lithgow](https://www.rollingstone.com/tv-movies/tv-movie-news/john-lithgow-rudy-giuliani-stephen-colbert-late-show-902568/), who is solid here, plays an unlucky billionaire.) How they connect to Tom and Sandra is a secret best left to the movie, though it isn’t very interesting — few of Sharper’s twists, if we can call them that, are. It proceeds in the style of a Russian doll, with a series of subsequent chapters, each named for a character, that lays out when, what, and how each major character — each liar — got here.

Feb. 17 (UPI) -- Neo-noir thriller Sharper, animated comedy series Animaniacs, retro-future dramedy Hello Tomorrow and fantasy crime series Carnival Row are ...

[ air Sunday on](https://www.upi.com/Entertainment_News/TV/2023/01/16/bafta-host/9271673877534/) BBC One and will be available to stream via the BBC iPlayer and Britbox streaming app. [will feature the 21st annual](https://www.pbs.org/wnet/gperf/aarp-the-magazine-announces-nominees-for-the-annual-movies-for-grownups-awards/14278/) Movies for Grownups Awards with AARP the Magazine at 9 p.m. Grant hosts this year's ceremony, [which will be attended](https://www.upi.com/Entertainment_News/2023/02/10/Prince-William-Kate-Middleton-attend-BAFTA-Film-Awards/2871676046032/) by Prince William, president of BAFTA since 201, and Kate Middleton, following the couple's two-year absence from the event. [premieres Friday on](https://www.upi.com/Entertainment_News/TV/2023/01/09/Carnival-Row-final-season-trailer/9451673285952/) Prime Video. [ streams Friday on](https://www.upi.com/Entertainment_News/Movies/2023/01/12/Sharper-trailer-Julianne-Moore-Sebastian-Stan-Apple-TV/6691673541136/) Apple TV+. The revival of 1990s animated series Animaniacs returns for a third and final season Friday on Hulu.

Sharper star Briana Middleton talks about the lessons learned from working with co-star Julianne Moore on set of the Apple TV+ psychological thriller.

“Love is one of the things that maybe all of our characters are searching for in this film. “It really takes the pressure off of having to have this really polished performance.” In its exploration of human nature, Sharper grapples with the harsh realities of what people are willing to do to survive but also what people are willing to do for love. “Is it a love story?” Middleton ponders the question. “I love prep and research,” the actress says of her process. At times, she had to work to distance herself from the part and remind herself that she was playing a role: “I do think this stuff lives in your body, especially after doing it so many times and living in it.” “There’s this idea that you need to go away and do your thing, do your prep. “Thank God, everyone’s so nice,” the relative newcomer says of her castmates. It was Middleton’s connection to her character that helped her push through those more difficult scenes. Then, you have to come and do this really polished, finished performance. What begins as a picture-perfect love story between Sandra and Tom (Justice Smith) slowly unravels, as the story reveals its characters are not who they appear to be. Upon reading the script, the New Orleans-based actress says she immediately was won over by her character.

AppleTV+ Sharper, with Julianne Moore, Sebastian Stan, Justice Smith, Briana Middleton, John Lithgow, is about seduction, greed, deception, jealousy.

Benjamin Caron's Sharper gave me a completely fresh perspective on this phrase. While being a really fun addition to the mystery-thriller genre, the amount of ...

Christensen takes the other-worldly elements of films like [Blade Runner 2049](https://exclaim.ca/film/article/blade_runner_2049-directed_by_denis_villeneuve)and blends them seamlessly with the coldness of Se7en, creating a movie that feels grounded yet fantastical — perfectly matching the heightened nature of Sharper. Leading up to the conclusion, there are so many turns that they start to blend into each other and feel a bit numbing. There are multiple heists, multiple acts of deceit and multiple reveals that create a predictably unpredictable film. Instead, the story continues to move forward (and sometimes backwards) as we're introduced to all the major players, including There is a bit of that, but for the most part, the same scenes aren't rehashed multiple times. While being a really fun addition to the mystery-thriller genre, the amount of twists and turns can be head-spinning.

The film was released in theaters last week and arrives on Apple TV+ Friday. On Hulu, the third and final season of Animaniacs, the Steven Spielberg-produced ...

The options above only scratch the surface, so you know that this weekend’s full lineup will have amazing options for what to watch this weekend! Patrick Stewart returns as Jean-Luc Picard, and though he has encountered old friends in seasons one and two, in the new season he’s basically getting the whole Enterprise crew back together: LeVar Burton, Michael Dorn, Jonathan Frakes, Gates McFadden, Marina Sirtis, Brent Spiner, Jeri Ryan and Michelle Hurd will all appear in the third and final season of the hit Paramount+ original series. In Sharper, Sebastian Stan plays Max, a grifter, Julianne Moore is Madeline, a woman dating a billionaire, and John Lithgow plays said billionaire, Richard Hobbes. Want to know more about these highlights and the rest of the stellar weekend lineup? The film was released in theaters last week and arrives on Apple TV+ Friday. With so many great new shows and films to choose from, let us here at Decider help you figure out

Sharper, now on Apple TV+, is a high-stakes game of power and greed that hits you with twist after twist. Benjamin Caron's film is a sleek, ...

Minus Tom and Sandra, we don’t learn very much about the other characters to solidify why the events in the film happen in the first place. It’s a stark contrast and a transformation that does feel to happen a bit too quickly to have a deeper emotional impact, but Middleton proves in every scene that this is her movie. He plays a man who by throwing an eight-thousand-dollar Rollex on a table is able to get Sandra out of a jam and woo her into a con to end all cons. As the film comes full circle in a karma-ass-kicking way, the film both satisfies but also falls short. He turns her into someone who is able to harness her sexuality to get what she wants. We get the fullest picture of Sandra in regard to who she was before she met Tom, what happens to her after her disappearance, and who she meets along the way that shapes her story. It’s a great way to have the audience drop their guard and make what’s to come seem even more unexpected. Still, the trickery is thrilling enough to also see past the absent answer to a key question. Sandra confesses that her brother is deep in debt with some dangerous people and is afraid he won’t get the money he needs before whoever these people are take more violent, deadly means to get what they want. As the secrets of penthouse fifth avenue get exposed, those who thirst for riches and power get fucked over. They go out for dinner and capture the audience instantly with their charm. They have intimate conversations about depression, loss, and their love of literature and Fellini.

Apple TV+ Sharper, with Julianne Moore, Sebastian Stan, Justice Smith, Briana Middleton, John Lithgow, is about seduction, greed, deception, jealousy.

Apple TV Plus and A24's neo-noir film 'Sharper' is a New York City–based con artist saga. Was the high-stakes thriller filmed there?

It’s like if Richard Curtis had come to New York and we were making a slightly indie version of Notting Hill there, you know, we start in a bookshop," Benjamin said, comparing Sharper to the (much lighter) Roger Michell classic. It’s a city that operates at the sharp end of the American dream. [Backstage](https://www.backstage.com/magazine/article/sharper-starring-julianne-moore-and-sebastian-filming-nyc-74049/), the Sharper cast was seen shooting in Lower Manhattan on Thompson Street, between Houston and Prince. It’s a transactional city that, in a few short decades, has become the heart of market capitalism. As detailed by [signs posted](https://twitter.com/fIcrence/status/1439995257089896450) around the aforementioned streets, the project was working under the name Woohoo back in September 2021. [Ariana Grande](https://www.distractify.com/p/ariana-grande-net-worth)'s opulent tune "7 Rings," the trailer for 2023 neo-noir flick [Sharper](https://tv.apple.com/us/movie/sharper/umc.cmc.5ud0ivpwgqw2st0u4z73gwpar) encourages viewers to "read between the lies," as it showcases master manipulation and secrets galore.

Showtime's The 12th Victim true-crime docuseries takes a fresh look at the 1958 murder spree of teenage killers Charles Starkweather and Caril Ann Fugate. Prime ...

[Josh Johnson: Up Here Killing Myself](https://www.tvinsider.com/show/josh-johnson-up-here-killing-myself/)(streaming on Peacock): A stand-up set from the [Daily Show](https://www.tvinsider.com/show/the-daily-show-with-trevor-noah/)writer and former [Tonight Show](https://www.tvinsider.com/show/the-tonight-show-starring-jimmy-fallon/)writer-performer finds comedy through his reflections on Black mental health and self-discovery in therapy. [j-Hope in the Box](https://www.tvinsider.com/show/j-hope-in-the-box/)(streaming on Disney+): A documentary profiles the [BTS](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/bts/)pop star as he prepares to release his first solo album, Jack in the Box, featuring footage form his 2022 gig at Lollapalooza. [Armageddon Time](https://www.tvinsider.com/show/armageddon-time/)(streaming on Peacock): The coming-of-age film set in 1980s Queens stars [Succession](https://www.tvinsider.com/show/succession/)’s [Jeremy Strong](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/jeremy-strong/)and [Anne Hathaway](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/anne-hathaway/)as parents of sixth-grader Paul (Banks Repeta), whose friendship with Black classmate Johnny (Jaylin Webb) leads to an awakening about inequality. [BMF](https://www.tvinsider.com/show/bmf/)(8/7c, Starz): Meech ( [Demetrius Flenory Jr.](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/demetrius-flenory/)) and Terry ( [Da’Vinchi](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/davinchi/)) are back in Detroit from Atlanta, with a new distribution scheme, while Meech continues plotting to kill Lamar (Eric Kofi-Abrefa). [20/20](https://www.tvinsider.com/show/20-20/) (9/8c) revisits the shocking 2007 double murder in Norfolk, Va., of bride-to-be Angelique Goyena and her mother Vonda, with an investigative trail leading to Angelique’s two-timing fiancé. [Jamie Lee Curtis](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/jamie-lee-curtis/), Oscar-nominated for [Everything Everywhere All at Once](https://www.tvinsider.com/show/everything-everywhere-all-at-once/), accepts a Career Achievement Award at the annual ceremony honoring films that viewers of a certain age might actually watch. [The Greatest @Home Videos](https://www.tvinsider.com/show/the-greatest-athome-videos/)(8/7c, CBS): Host [Cedric the Entertainer](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/cedric-the-entertainer/)presents the first “Cedy Awards,” honoring the videos he certifies as gold, while letting viewers (in the East and Central time zones) vote live on which of his top two deserves “#1 Video of the Year” status. [Billy Crudup](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/billy-crudup/), an Emmy winner for Apple’s [The Morning Show](https://www.tvinsider.com/show/the-morning-show/), rocks a Don Draper vibe as dapper Jack, a slick salesman of moon time-shares that may or may not be legit. (Translation: No superhero franchise movies in sight.) Taped last month at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel for [Great Performances](https://www.tvinsider.com/show/great-performances/), and hosted by [Alan Cumming](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/alan-cumming/), the awards cover TV as well as movies. [Prime Video](https://www.tvinsider.com/network/amazon-prime-video/) returns to a fantasy world where humans and fae co-exist in the final season of [Carnival Row](https://www.tvinsider.com/show/carnival-row/). [Showtime](https://www.tvinsider.com/network/showtime/)’s [The 12th Victim](https://www.tvinsider.com/show/the-12th-victim/) true-crime docuseries takes a fresh look at the 1958 murder spree of teenage killers Charles Starkweather and Caril Ann Fugate. [Jamie Lee Curtis](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/jamie-lee-curtis/) accepts a Career Achievement Award at the annual [Movies for Grownups Awards](https://www.tvinsider.com/show/movies-for-grownups-awards/), taped for [PBS’](https://www.tvinsider.com/network/pbs/) [Great Performances](https://www.tvinsider.com/show/great-performances/).

We discuss the ending of the 2023 Apple TV+ film Sharper which will contain significant spoilers and plot points.

He pays out his team at the bookstore, and Sandra asks Tom to dinner. However, Madeline calls Max the next day to tell him that she is staying with Richard and he can keep the money. Tom is made head of the charity. Tom steals back his inheritance by running a con game on Madeline, tricking her into transferring the money to Tom’s charity! She is shaking down Sandra and the rest of the prisoners on her payroll. All three are made to leave New York and board a plane when Sandra goes to the bathroom before taking off. Tom has money from his wealthy father and gives Sandra the money. He has a friend pretending to be a police officer and arresting him for attempting to buy drugs. Tom pays for the book, and she shows up the next day with the money. Max takes Sandra under his wing to teach her how to be a con artist. Richard offers Max a job for $60,000 a month to travel around on the company’s dime (and out of Richard’s home). She is looking for a book for her professor,

Apple TV+ Sharper, with Julianne Moore, Sebastian Stan, Justice Smith, Briana Middleton, John Lithgow, is about seduction, greed, deception, jealousy.