Sharper Director Benjamin Caron Discusses His Neo-Noir Thriller and the Nonlinear Storyline

A24’s Sharper, a neo-noir thriller for Apple TV , marks director Benjamin Caron’s first feature film after years of helming episodes for well-known series like Sherlock, The Crown, and most recently, Andor with Disney . Dipping his toes into the Star Wars universe was a first for Caron, who says it was the “well-drawn-out narratives and great characters” that really drew him to Tony Gilroy’s series masterpiece. Likewise, Sharper is a character-driven mystery that piqued Caron’s interest, especially considering the star-studded cast, featuring Julianne Moore, Sebastian Stan, John Lithgow, Justice Smith, and new talent, Brianna Middleton. Taking its audience to the penthouses of Manhattan, Sharper weaves a web of intricate lies revolving around billionaire Richard Hobbes’ (Lithgow) wealth. It begins with a love story between the bookish Tom (Smith) and graduate student, Sandra (Middleton), who encounter one another serendipitously at the bookstore Tom works at. The movie takes a sharp turn when Max (Stan