The first few minutes of "Sharper" are excellent; you'll think you're watching a love tale unfold before your eyes while you take in the hustle and bustle of New York. The relationship between an NYU student and the owner of a bookshop is successfully portrayed in the film in all respects. The first mention of Jane Eyre in Tom's bookstore and Sandra's Doctorate thesis on "Black feminism in American literature" give the impression that this will be a love tale for the "thinking guy," but the movie abruptly takes a U-turn. Some viewers may find it challenging to accept the U-turn that occurs following the love tale because it occurs throughout the entire film.

But if you can get past the movie's slow start and abrupt change, you'll probably enjoy it.

The numerous double crosses that appear throughout "Sharperplot "'s can be perplexing at times. As the series of con tricks progresses, it also starts to seem somewhat obvious what might happen next. Yet as you watch the film, you'll notice some creative turns that will astound you! The film will occasionally make you think of "The Usual Suspects," but in the end, the amazing cast is what sets this movie apart.

But if you can get past the movie's slow start and abrupt change, you'll probably enjoy it.

This thriller's New York bookstore serves as the opening scene. The bookstore is run by the soft-spoken Tom, and when NYU student Sandra enters to purchase a book for her professor, tensions start to rise. As Tom asked Sandra to dinner at a Japanese restaurant, things between the two good-hearted people gradually moved in the direction of love. Tom instantly offers Sandra a large sum of money to help her escape her challenging situation when she tells him about her drug-using brother. Following Sandra's disappearance with the money, a string of double crosses and triple crosses occur. Adding anything further to the plot will only dampen the mystery.

The actors in "Sharper" make the movie watchable. In her portrayal of Madeline, Julianne Moore excels and does a wonderful job of shifting into many personas. One can only appreciate how expertly Julianne knows her part after watching this movie. Veteran John Lithgow makes an impression in a brief scene as a billionaire, but Briana Middleton, who plays Sandra in the movie, is the star. She first comes across as a pretty college student, but we rapidly realise that she is homeless and in dire need of money, and eventually we see her as a very confident woman. She transitions between all the hues with grace and elegance.

But if you can get past the movie's slow start and abrupt change, you'll probably enjoy it.

Despite a few hiccups along the way, "Sharper" turns out to be a good time. The movie will make you think of the Brian de Palma films from the late 1980s, and the walk-away scene in the end is a homage to Brian Singer's "The Usual Suspect." The potential for "Sharper" to develop into a thrilling suspense thriller was there, but writing flaws prevented this from happening. Would have preferred a little more "sharpness."