To watch Jason Buxton’s “Sharp Corner” feels akin to witnessing a automotive crash in slow-motion. There’s a bleak inevitability to the proceedings and a merciless voyeuristic streak to how we’re referred to as to not look away. The comparability is apt, after all, contemplating how central automotive accidents are to this story of an even-keeled suburbanite who turns into needlessly obsessive about stopping (or on the very least serving to) the inordinate quantity of crashes that occur on the treacherous nook road proper in entrance of his new dwelling. Led by an against-type efficiency from Ben Foster, this languidly paced psychological thriller about domesticity and masculinity could also be handsomely mounted however in the end strikes an all too hole tone to land its kicker of a ultimate shot.
The promise of a brand new home is the possibility to make a house. That’s what Josh and Rachel (Foster and Cobie Smulders) hope to do after they transfer into a beautiful property away from town with their child Max (William Kosovic) in tow. But their giddy, giggly happiness as they begin to unpack and settle in is short-lived. No sooner are Josh and Rachel fortunately rekindling the sexual intimacy they’d lengthy uncared for than a tire flies in via one in all their entrance home windows. A automotive, it appears, has skidded off the street and hit the tree that graces their entrance garden. What initially looks like a freak accident — and which, in flip, freaks out everybody within the household, Max most blatant l y—is quickly revealed to be the beginning of a tragic sample.
As Buxton’s title all too neatly informs us, this beautiful home by the woods sits in entrance of a pointy flip. That titular nook proves to be fairly lethal for drunk or in any other case distracted drivers (significantly throughout inclement climate). When the primary crash occurs, which does kill a youngster who was driving beneath the affect, Rachel is able to rethink this new life and this new dwelling. How can they probably increase their boy when any screech or brake noise from the road is sufficient to ship them all around the edge? Shouldn’t they sue and transfer out instantly? By the time a second accident occurs, and Josh as soon as extra has to helplessly witness somebody die in entrance of him, the couple discover themselves grappling with the fallout in decidedly alternative ways.
Rachel pushes for sensible options, and for an attendant give attention to the psychological influence of those incidents on their younger, delicate child. But Josh slowly begins to obsess over how he might very properly develop into the savior of anybody who’d find yourself in a wreck on his garden. Clearly bored if not outright dissatisfied along with his managerial job within the metropolis, Josh is quickly consumed with these previous tragedies and the longer term ones he might properly assist curb. He does analysis into the lives of these victims. He spends his nights on his entrance porch, beer in hand, gazing at any passing headlight. Later nonetheless, he begins taking CPR courses, readying himself for the second when he may be the hero he is aware of he may be. But his obsession quickly will get the perfect of him and the very household he’s making an attempt to maintain secure begins to buckle beneath his informal indifference to their wants.
Foster has lengthy favored enjoying wounded, typically feral characters whose violent tempers and outsized personalities have shone via the actor’s personal imposing bodily presence. He introduced a kinetic depth to initiatives like “3:10 to Yuma,” “Hell or High Water” and “Emancipation.” So it’s slightly fascinating to witness him enjoying a mousy, mild-mannered suburban dad right here. Sporting a fussy mustache, a balding hairline and a wardrobe as inoffensive as Josh’s personal character (he’s all khaki chinos and sky blue button downs), Foster burrows himself into a person who can’t deliver himself to take up house. Despite being married to a therapist, Josh is slightly myopic about his personal emotional wellbeing and Foster telegraphs that disconnect with a softened tone of voice and a skittish form of physicality. But he additionally manages to imbue an insidious form of risk in that slightly affable demeanor.
Much of the fear of this psychological portrait of a person adrift is premised on Josh’s need to take management of a life that’s shortly spiraling out. It could also be Max whom Rachel is most anxious about growing PTSD, however it’s her husband who turns into slowly unhinged from the wants and tasks he’d lengthy been beholden to. With a spare rating by Stephen McKeon and sound design that rightly retains all types of noises from the road simply exterior the home entrance and middle, “Sharp Corner” insists on conserving us trapped in Josh’s headspace — a discomfiting, claustrophobic place to occupy. It’s no spoiler to counsel the image excellent life he’d hoped to construct on this home turns into increasingly elusive as his fixation takes over his every single day life.
In Buxton and Foster’s arms, Josh is a bleak examine in up to date masculinity. This is an more and more nerve-wracking fable in regards to the lengths males whose lives are placid if simply merely nice will go to make themselves really feel wanted and validated. In 2025, which will properly learn like an all too apparent psychological portrait of a meek man like Josh. For that is the form of wreck (vehicular or in any other case) we’ve seen one too many occasions; that we’ve been compelled to rubber neck our manner via it’s maybe exactly the purpose. But that, additionally, is what makes it each much less impactful and fewer stunning than it hopes to be.