


Well, as it turns out, Tom’s ailing father is a billionaire business tycoon who, despite not being all that approving of Tom’s idle way of life, doesn’t hold him back from accessing the family fortune. But how does a bookstore owner have that kind of cash lying around? Being the “nice guy” that he is, Tom offers to pay a whopping $350000. Her rogue brother has gotten himself mixed up with some dangerous people who have threatened to end his life if he doesn’t pay them back the money he owes. Worried after getting no response from Sandra for a questionable amount of time, Tom pays her a visit, only to find a morose Sandra on the edge of the bed. And while Tom is sympathetic to her predicament at first, things keep spiraling out of control rapidly. Sandra soothes the concerned Tom by explaining to him her brother’s usual precarious tendencies. You didn’t expect an unscathed journey for the lovers, did you? If just how well things were going for the two wasn’t shady enough already, Sandra’s ne’er-do-well brother combatively banging on her door and asking for money is an indisputable sign that things aren’t as they seem. The two are only brought closer the more they reveal what truly haunts them. When asked why he is reluctant to spend time together at his place, Tom somberly mentions a father to whom he is a disappointment and a stepmother he feels uneasy around. Their affection even passes a hurdle when Sandra and Tom succeed in turning a moment of gloom into an opportunity to provide reassurance and comfort. The days spent in the soothing haze of something like love only seem to be getting better for the two. The two bibliophiles commence a romance so wholesome that even Tom’s well-meaning friends gladly approve of the relationship. There, she got her hands on a copy of Jane Eyre, a book with a character that was reflective of her inner turmoil. Along with her brother, she was stuck in an exhausting cycle of hopping into foster homes until she came to find a foster parent who had a penchant for reading. Sandra, on the other hand, had lost her parents at a very young age. He somehow manages to function now that he is surrounded by the comforting company of books. A very nimble rom-com-ish walk leads them to the warm-hued restaurant, where they connect as they ponder over the respective losses that laid down the path for them to be who they are today.Īfter the dreadful passing of his mother, Tom’s well-being fell prey to the devastating wrath of depression. Surprising Tom with a candid confession of her mental lapse when he asked her out, Sandra agrees to go on a date. But she does come back, and not just to settle her due bill. Closing up shop for the day, Tom doesn’t really expect Sandra to show up again. from NYU with a thesis as impactful as “Redefining Radicalism: The Rise Of Black Feminism In American Literature.” An awkward refusal of his dinner-date proposal disheartens Tom, but he still lets her take the book she doesn’t have the cash for, as the blushing Sandra promises to come back with the money to pay for it. And he can hardly be blamed for the same when he meets a pretty girl who’s pursuing a Ph.D. When dreamy Sandra walks into Tom’s bookstore for a romance-novel-like meet cute, Tom is instantly taken by her. And with no one stopping me, I am compelled to recount the opening sequence with a Fleabag-esque fourth wall break: “This is a love story.” Tom is practically a non-threatening Joe Goldberg, and yeah, it’s okay for you to swoon over him on account of his skeleton-free closet. ‘Sharper’ Plot Synopsis: What Happens In The Film?Ĭaron’s film is essentially sectioned into parts that scratch the superficial surface of what truly propels its striking characters until it all comes together to form a volatile medley of pure chaos. Now, for those of you freshly back from the Starling experience (with a crush on Julianne Moore, most likely), I’m going to try and find my way out of the maze. If you are prone to taking advice from complete strangers, such as yours truly, do not read up on the film before watching. By the time you’ve bestowed a “king of the charades” crown on your head, you will undoubtedly feel your throne disintegrating. Partly allowing a few predictable twists here and there is how “Sharper” convinces you that you may just be too sharp to fall for the shocking reveal it has stacked up.

As smooth as Sebastian Stan sliding into his charming red flag era (and boy, are we here for it!), the film’s wily, serpentine twists and turns sneak up on you when you’re distracted by the conniving leads’ allure.
