Sharp Corner: A Review
Sharp Corner, available on Hulu, might just earn a spot in Ben Foster’s top three performances, alongside Hell or High Water and Do Not Leave Traces. The film delivers a unique blend of drama and dark comedy as it follows Ned Frandasish (not Christian) Nevish and his family in their quest for a dream home. Despite receiving some of the best reviews of his career, it seems to be flying under the radar.
Key Points: The house in question is quite ready for them. It boasts beautiful bay windows, spacious layouts, and large lots nestled in a serene countryside. This setup seems perfect for a family of three who often find themselves bumping into each other around town. Josh (played by Foster) works in a tech firm, while Rachel (Koby Smulders) is a psychotherapist, and their sweet six-year-old son, Max (William Kosovich), rounds out their family. “We’re commuters now,” Josh explains to Max, reflecting the reality of their new life. On their first evening, they share a healthy spaghetti dinner, with Max asleep while Josh and Rachel relax on the living room floor. Not much drama, really.
The McCall Family Property soon becomes the site of tragedy, potentially foreshadowing what’s to come. Josh and Rachel—he affectionately calls her “Rush”—struggle to shield their child from fear. When Josh discovers Max innocently playing with a truck left in the yard, it hits closer to home. This truck once belonged to a teenage boy, now remembered by a wooden cross adorned with a photo and a cherished football. Life goes on for them, but the film doesn’t seem to lean towards high drama. Josh faces challenges at work with the “RTM Procurement Project,” while tackling landscaping issues at home. It’s all quite manageable, really.
But wait! Josh can’t fully ignore the noise of passing cars that spikes his anxiety. One night, while Rush uses a salad spinner with remarkable efficiency, Josh is grilling burgers outdoors when another loud crash breaks the calm. Rushing outside, he’s horrified to witness one of the drivers in shock. This incident drives Josh to take CPR classes, leading to an obsession with purchasing CPR dummies, all while trying to hide this newfound interest from Rush. As deadlines loom, he struggles to maintain focus on work, while Rachel rationally suggests they might need to leave their dream house. “We thought this was our dream home,” Josh argues, while conveniently overlooking the fact that they seem to be washing their dishes by hand. A dream home without a dishwasher? Really?
What movies does that remind you of? It brings to mind a previous film obsession—I haven’t seen a character quite like Josh, with his quirky mustache, since Lars and the Real Girl. There’s a blend of real estate, absurd comedy, echoes of The Money Pit, and maybe some darker elements reminiscent of David Cronenberg’s Crash.
Performance worth watching: Foster’s portrayal can feel slightly cartoonish at times, though he skillfully downplays the character’s more frustrating traits, aiming for layers of ambiguity and subtle humor.
Memorable conversation: At a class, Josh jokes while trying to buy a CPR doll: “It’s part of the set—a family of four!”
Sex and Skin: In a suburban scene, Foster and Smulders share a naked, yet mundane, chat during what could be considered a boring sex scene.
Our Take: While the film is titled Sharp Corner, we actually meet Josh at a pivotal moment where he wrestles with his notions of masculinity and purpose. A younger coworker gets promoted, while Rachel makes pointed comments about his ambitions. During the sex scene, she’s clearly frustrated—leading to humorous moments when no one is fully dressed. Josh grapples with sharing his feelings amid his chaotic life, revealing a human side to his character.
His ongoing frustration begins to manifest in an unhealthy obsession with preventing future car accidents, almost like a looming shadow over their life. Foster’s unique voice lends a satirical tone, preventing us from taking things too seriously. There’s a morbid curiosity about how Josh would handle yet another accident, reflecting his uneasy demeanor despite the potential risks to Rachel and little Max. Oh, and we can’t ignore how Rachel expertly manages to limit Josh’s interactions with their son, all while each character navigates their own peculiarities and issues.
Writer and director Jason Buxton skillfully builds tension, making us hyper-aware of every vehicle that passes their home. The visuals capture both the charm and treachery of their idyllic setting, leaving us to question how it became such a complicated space for the family. Buxton avoids moral judgments, presenting Josh as a complex figure in a morally ambiguous situation, revealing the depth of his psychological struggles without easy answers. Sharp Corner is an odd but thought-provoking film that leaves us pondering the intricacies of human behavior.
Our Call: I see the lack of a dishwasher as a significant metaphor in this narrative. Details really do matter! Definitely worth a stream.
