Hulu has an abundance of riches for movie lovers in August, even beyond the regular influx of new titles.
Earlier this month, the streamer added one of this year’s best horror titles, The Monkey, and the well-reviewed action comedy Copshop is arriving on August 11.
Both of those are very good films, but the one Hulu movie that you have to watch in August is Sharp Corner, a psychological thriller by writer and director Jason Buxton based on a short story by Russell Wangersky.
This film is unlike the vast majority of movies, and Watch With Us is sharing the three reasons why you have to watch Sharp Corner on Hulu.
‘Sharp Corner’ Has a Unique Story
Ben Foster stars in the film as Josh, a relatively successful family man who is married to Rachel (Cobie Smulders) and living with their son, Max (William Kosovic). After moving into their dream home, the family discovers that it’s located at a sharp corner that is prone to deadly accidents. The first time it happens, the family’s sense of safety in their own home is irreparably shattered.
Josh’s response to the ongoing accidents involves attempts to make the corner safer for both drivers and his family. However, he lets his obsession with crashes consume his every waking hour. Nothing is more important to Josh than solving this problem or training to be ready to help any potential accident victims. And it may cost Josh everything he values in his life.
Ben Foster Gives an Oscar-Worthy Performance
Foster carries Sharp Corner on his shoulders with one of the best turns of his career. It’s too soon to predict whether Foster will be getting any Oscar buzz, but there was a limited theatrical release earlier this year. In my opinion, he deserves an Oscar nomination for his performance as Josh, which is alternately sympathetic and disturbing.
Josh can only partially articulate just how badly he was damaged by the first two accidents at the house, and his wife simply won’t engage with him about it. A lot of Josh’s turmoil and his subsequent obsession are silently conveyed by Foster’s face and body language. Is Josh attempting to regain his power by preparing for future accidents? Or is he suffering from untreated PTSD? The movie largely leaves that open to interpretation. But it doesn’t present Josh’s behavior as heroic, especially late in the film when he goes to some morally questionable extremes.
It’s a Slow-Burn Thriller With a Great Third Act
Sharp Corner may test the patience of some viewers, and it’s not a conventional story. In some ways, it reminds me of Nightcrawler, the 2014 thriller starring Jake Gyllenhaal. The only action you’ll see in this movie is the recurring car crashes and their aftermath. The real drama of this flick is Josh’s internal turmoil and the price he pays for putting his obsession over everything else in his life.
If you stick with the film, the third act rewards viewers with wonderfully realized tension as Josh awaits an accident with absolute certainty that it’s going to happen. We’re not going to spoil the particular details, but the ending felt like the right choice for this movie.
Sharp Corner is now streaming on Hulu.
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