Sharp corner; Ben Foster embodies misguided heroism in a psychologically torturous drama: TIFF 2024 Review

Functions as an ambiguity for both the literal placement on the side of the road and the relationships within it Jason BuxtonThe exciting drama, Sharp corner focuses on the vehicular and emotional torture that produces a series of fatal accidents on a suburban lawn at the edge of a tight bend in a passing road.

Related to Russell Wangersky‘s short story (he shares Buxton as screenwriter), Sharp corner revolves around the couple Josh and Rachel (Ben Foster And Cobie Smuldersor) and buying their dream home in the Nova Scotia countryside. The two are seemingly starting a new life for themselves and their 6-year-old son Max, with plans to convert their lavish space into a modern apartment they can happily call home.

Within the first 10 minutes of the film, Buxton and Wangersky have established the dynamic between Josh and Rachel, showcasing their still-passionate marriage and, just as the title hits the screen, the violent dilemma they grapple with over the course of the 110 minutes need minutes. As they finish christening their living room floor, a car tire shatters their window and it comes to light that a car has crashed on their front lawn, resulting in the gruesome deaths of the car’s occupants.

Josh and Rachel can’t seem to agree on their future steps – should they fix the problem or move? – which only leads to a host of other problems that cause their marriage to fall apart. Rachel is understandably fearful for her son’s safety, but part of the appeal of their house was that it had such an expansive yard for him to play in. Do you deprive him of this or do you take the proper steps to install a safety rail? But will a safety railing necessarily protect him from witnessing potentially traumatic events?

Sharp cornerThe script opens up a variety of interesting conversations about what the viewer would do in such a situation, and it remains to be seen whether or not these conversations fit with Josh’s mentality as his mind begins to focus on becoming a neighborhood savior of sorts, Learn cardiopulmonary resuscitation in case another accident occurs. Josh wants accidents like this to happen, which only drives Rachel further away as she watches her husband’s mind crumble.

As much as Sharp corner It offers so many interesting options to explore. Perhaps its greatest virtue lies in how it shapes Josh and Rachel as individuals. Foster is no stranger to embodying the kind of characters who are deeply wounded, and here his inner conflict sends him to locations that manifest themselves in a variety of psychologically disturbing ways that one suspects even he didn’t know exist in him. Similarly, despite working with less screen time, Smulders manages to go beyond the superficial level of her character by creating a woman who, although in love with her husband, cannot excuse behavior that threatens her son. It’s too easy to simply label Rachel as an unlikable character, as we see her struggle to behave as a woman, as a mother, and as a wife.

Despite Sharp cornerGiven Buxton’s masculine energy, some viewers may be quite taken with the deconstruction of masculinity and emasculation that Buxton presents. Josh clearly has the intention of being a good father, but he seems to lack the ability to do so, and the film’s temperament to break down such a masculine archetype is fascinatingly at odds with his tough personality.

Although a bizarre sense of twisted intent simmers within Josh’s “heroic” mind, Sharp corner is never as bombastic as its premise suggests. It’s a psychological look at the misguided bravery that may lead the scenic path to its intended destination, but each stop along the way doesn’t diminish its own significance and joy because it doesn’t necessarily answer the questions it poses.

THREE½ STARS (OUT OF FIVE)

Sharp corner was screened as part of this year’s Toronto International Film Festival, which took place from September 5th to 15th, 2024. More information about the festival can be found on the official website here.