We all have our weird obsessions. The fact that you’re reading this review for a (currently) little-known movie, Sharp Corner, also probably means that you may or may not have a major movie obsession. Which isn’t too weird. For Josh, the Northern-accented family man that Ben Foster plays in Sharp Corner, he becomes obsessed with death, not in a serial killer way, but in a completely different way. It just sort of happened once he moved into his dream home with his lovely wife and doting young son. It is difficult to even apply one particular genre to writer-director Jason Buxton’s new movie. It has some elements of a thriller, and you always feel compelled to find out how everything is going to wrap up. If anything, Sharp Corner plays out like the darkest of dark comedies. There’s nothing laugh-out-funny in the film, but there’s something morbidly amusing about where it’s going.

What Is ‘Sharp Corner’ About?
Sharp Corner introduces us to Josh, he’s your classic Minnesota dad, complete with a dorky accent and comically generic mustache. He’s just moved his wife Rachel (Cobie Smulders) and their young son Max (William Kosovic) to a spacious new house away from the city. While Josh is absolutely in love with his new home and Rachel is making do with it, Max is having some trouble adjusting. Max’s nervousness reaches the tipping point when, on the family’s first night, a freak car accident occurs on their front yard, killing a drunken 18-year-old.

Josh becomes obsessed with the teen’s death, and after witnessing the teen’s family grieving in his front yard and building a small memorial, he falls down a rabbit hole. Rachel has become increasingly concerned with Josh’s bizarre behavior, fearing that it will rub off on Max. Their once-loving relationship is becoming more tumultuous by the day. To make matters worse, Josh is also slacking at his job because of his new fixation. Not too long after that, another car crashes in the front yard, causing Josh to lose any sense of reality.

Throughout most of Sharp Corner, we’re left wondering what the hell is even going on. Is there a point to any of this? Why hasn’t the city government gotten involved, especially with that dastardly sharp turn that is causing these crashes?

Ben Foster Goes Full Character-Actor Mode in ‘Sharp Corner’
Foster plays Josh like he just walked off the set of Fargo. His character lacks any sort of charisma, and while initially he just seems like that annoying dad from down the street, he becomes increasingly more and more grating. Foster’s accent and mannerisms take a lot of getting used to, but once the movie reaches its third act, it all makes sense. It is the kind of role that requires a character-actor type of performance, and Foster crushes it in that regard.

The rest of the cast perfectly contrasts Foster’s performance. Smulders is effective in playing Rachel in a way that puts the audience in her shoes. She continuously calls out Josh’s behavior, but that only increases Josh’s fixation. While in other movies, a more grounded performance like Smulders’ would feel at odds with a bold turn like Foster’s, Sharp Corner uses that to its benefit. Foster has always been a fascinating performer on the screen, and he’s always had a knack for playing unpredictable characters and that’s no different here.

‘Sharp Corner’ Is One Long Dark Joke
Image via TIFF

Sharp Corner can prove to be challenging to watch. It feels almost bizarre in just how serious the movie begins to take itself, and you’ll find yourself questioning what the point of the movie is. To be fair, it does reveal its message at the tail end, but, for some, that may feel like it is far too late. Throughout the nearly two-hour running time, the plot begins to become more repetitive, and while the movie initially starts out feeling more believable, it definitely loses its grip as we get deeper into the story. That may have been Buxton’s intention, but it does lead to the movie feeling at times a little too alienating.

To the movie’s credit, the final act is incredibly clever in its execution. Buxton is clearly aware of all the questions that the audience has bubbling in their heads and the payoff he brings is delightfully bleak. Comparisons to the Coen Brothers’ films are inevitable with Sharp Corner, but the movie also holds a lot of similarities with the work of Riley Stearns, particularly The Art of Self-Defense. There is a certain deadpan delivery to the movie that keeps you glued to the screen. We never get a sense of what exactly the movie is until the very ending, but when that does come, it’ll leave you thinking long after the credits roll.

Sharp Corner clearly won’t be a movie for everyone, but for those who are more willing to be patient, it proves to be a rewarding watch. At its core, Buxton’s film is one prolonged dark joke, and as cynical as it is, you can’t help but laugh.

Sharp Corner had its World Premiere at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival.