Jason Buxton’s psychological thriller, Sharp Corner

, takes a smart approach towards critiquing masculinity tangential to life purpose. The story, originally written by Russell Wangersky, was part of a larger compilation of shorts in Walk Away. The book unconventionally explores what happens when people’s coping skills to manage trauma or life difficulties go astray. Buxton’s adaptation, while a little thin, is nerve-wracking in all the right places, bringing us into a chaotic character study you can’t look away from.

The story follows Ben Foster (Hell or High Water, 3:10 to Yuma) as Josh McCall, a family man who seemingly has it all. With his wife Rachel (How I Met Your Mother‘s Cobie Smulders) by his side and his exuberant son Max (Will Kosovic) filling his life with joy, there’s not much that Josh could hope for. At least, that’s the case until the family moves into a new home where a series of car crashes begin to disturb their peace. That, on top of Josh’s work troubles, leads him down a path of emptiness, wondering about his purpose.

Sharp Corner Barely Scratches The Surface Of Its Own Themes

Yet, It’s A Disturbingly Entertaining Experience You Won’t Want To Look Away From

To rid himself of the daunting feeling that something is missing from his life, Josh begins to fixate on the frequent accidents in front of his house. Whether this is an example of post-traumatic stress disorder or a simple case of dangerous fixation is an interesting conundrum Buxton plays with. There’s also a subtle exploration of what happens with masculinity when pressures at work and life begin to compete with our desire to feel fulfilled. Indeed, Sharp Corner has several tricks up its sleeve, but they never fully reveal themselves beyond surface-level discovery.

Luckily, Sharp Corner didn’t need to. Buxton’s dark satire has just enough to take us on a disturbing roller coaster that is equally suspenseful and entertaining. As we’re forced to watch Josh’s original good intentions to help the victims of these crashes unravel into a more sinister need to be the hero, it becomes just as alarmingly intoxicating. This level of intensity is only enhanced by Buxton’s camerawork, which often features uncomfortable close-ups of Josh during his smug rationalizations of interference. The soundscape also shines, as we anticipate the next accident waiting to barrel around the bend.

With its narrative set to study one man’s response to trauma, pressure, and dark impulses, it would be easy to think the script attempts to tackle too much at once. Yet, Sharp Corner’s greatest strength is that its lead actor has demonstrated his ability to handle all that this script asked of him. As Josh, Foster is extraordinary as he transforms from a gentle family man to a deeply disturbed individual seeking to fulfill some heroic purpose. He gives a masterclass in both sincerity and creepiness, in a way that’ll have you questioning your own sanity if you dare empathize with his character.

Jason Buxton’s thrilling character study may not have delved deeply into its themes related to trauma, masculinity, and societal pressures when it comes to finding purpose. Yet, Sharp Corner yielded a fascinating character study that shows us the dangers of finding fulfillment in all the wrong places. Led by an exceptional performance from Ben Foster, this psychological thriller is one you do not want to miss. I can’t promise you won’t go into full judgmental mode of Foster’s Josh, but at least you’ll be thoroughly entertained.