Jason Buxton's second feature film, Sharp Corner, is a poignant study of human behavior, which often takes twisting and dark turns. The film centers on the McCall family, who had recently moved to the suburbs. Their spacious new home was brimming with possibilities; while Josh planned to turn the backyard into a golf course, Rachel thought it was important to spruce up her son's room to ease the transition. Max was happy to live in what he called "the mansion," but he was often overwhelmed by a fear of the dark or the thought of a bear breaking into his room. Just as the McCall family was ready to go to sleep on their first day there, a car veered into the house and crashed into a tree. An accident on their first night in a new home seemed ominous to them, and it arguably changed Josh and Rachel's lives completely.
From the moment Josh witnessed the first accident, his behavior changed. He was curious about the deceased victim in the accident and obsessively monitored his social media account. There was nothing he truly felt excited about in life. He wasn't passionate about his job, especially after being passed over for the big promotion he was hoping for. Some days he wanted to treat himself, but Rachel reminded him of his responsibilities as a father. He tried to be a perfect father to Max, but sometimes he wished he prioritized his own happiness above all else. In contrast, Rachel took pride in her work as a therapist. Even after a busy day, she made an effort to make time for yoga and seemed more disciplined about her daily routine than Josh. For Rachel, Max's comfort and happiness were her top priority, and she was a little surprised when Josh showed more interest in building a pitch and putt than in ensuring Max's well-being in the new space.
Director: Jason Buxton
Writers: Jason Buxton, Russell Wangersky
Stars: Cobie Smulders, Ben Foster, Gavin Drea
When Josh witnessed the accident, it was almost as if a new dimension opened up. It was the novelty and excitement of his everyday life, and it was undeniable that the sympathy others showed when mentioning the accident did him a world of good. Josh wasn't a hero dad; he'd never been the center of attention, and perhaps he'd accepted that, but that was before moving into his new home. He saw accidents as opportunities to become a whole new person. He wanted to be the messiah in the lives of vulnerable victims; he knew accidents could bring meaning to their existence. Desperate to save lives, Josh even enrolled in a professional CPR course.
He bought dummies to practice at home, even though spending three hundred dollars on such equipment simply didn't make sense. But for Josh, it was an obvious decision. The abrupt corner their house was on led to several accidents, and Josh was waiting for his moment of glory. Although she refused to leave the house, Rachel saw no point in staying there, especially when the incident had clearly affected them psychologically. As a therapist, Rachel firmly believed Max would develop PTSD after repeatedly witnessing accidents at the tender age of six. She tried to keep him locked in his room when the accidents happened, but suffered one when Josh left Max in his car to observe the scene more closely. Max had seen the victim's burned body, and Rachel feared this would continue to haunt her son throughout his childhood. Josh dismissed his wife's concerns. He wasn't willing to sell the house because he thought it was perfect for them. Rachel decided to consult a therapist after noticing her son pulling his hair out at night.
Josh's obsession with the victims worsened, and he eventually attended one of their funerals. He even contacted his daughter and tried to befriend her father. He experienced a perverted joy in finding an audience that believed him. Josh was clearly losing touch with reality; he had begun to neglect his work and preferred to spend all his time at home performing CPR. Although Josh had noticed Max recreating the accident scene during his playtime, suggesting that he was stressed and the incident continued to bother him, he decided to keep it a secret from the therapist.
Although he wanted to appear to have everything under control, Rachel began to suspect him. When Josh arrived late to Max's therapy session, she called his office and was told he'd been fired. After the firm lost one of its most important clients due to his negligence, Josh was fired. He had kept this a secret from his wife and was surprisingly calm considering he had bills to pay and no source of income. Rachel lost her cool when she discovered Josh had informed potential buyers about his frequent accidents, and as a result, they decided to back out of the house. She sensed he had no intention of selling it, even though she knew it wasn't safe for Max. Because he had stopped prioritizing his family, Rachel decided to distance herself from him. While packing her belongings, she stumbled upon Josh's CPR mannequin and realized her husband's obsession had completely spiraled out of control. Rachel left with their son and soon filed for divorce.
Josh had practically lost everything he cared about because of his strange obsession. He was unemployed, his wife wanted a divorce, he couldn't spend time with his son, and he could only see Max if he agreed to sell the house. Ultimately, he decided to sell it in the hopes of proving to the court that he was a loving father. It wasn't something he truly desired; the decision was a matter of improving his image: he wanted the world to see him as a loving father. Josh soon found a potential buyer for the house, and when they wanted to know the reason for his decision, he simply stated that he was getting a divorce and that the money from the property would be split between him and his ex-wife. He had no choice but to hide the truth.
On his last night at the property, Josh hoped to become the heroic figure he so longed to be. Secretly, he hoped for one last accident so he could put into practice all the necessary techniques he had recently learned. At first, he left it up to the universe and waited patiently. But as time passed, he grew impatient. He felt an urgency to take charge. When Josh pulls out a chainsaw and cuts through the "sharp corner" sign, you know you've reached the climax.
During the finale of "Sharp Corner," Josh's twisted wish came true. A woman driving a car was involved in an accident right in front of his yard. He rushed to her rescue; it was finally his moment of glory. He had his tools ready and a first aid kit at his disposal. He managed to open the car door and by then had a huge audience. A bus full of people came to help. Josh instructed them to call 911. He knew the procedure and began following all the steps he had already memorized. The audience was impressed by Josh's dedication, and some recorded a video of him in action. Josh performed CPR on the woman, and when she didn't respond, guilt began to grow in him. After all, he was responsible for the accident, and her death would scar him for life. But thankfully, the woman responded, and medical help soon arrived.
Josh was proud of himself; he had a smile on his face: he was finally a hero. The ending of Sharp Corner hints at the possibility that Josh might seek out similar experiences in life to feel alive and successful. Presumably, he'd be applauded for saving the life of a stranger, and his video might even go viral. But will he make it out alive if an investigation is conducted? The fact that the sign was torn down might come to light, but on the other hand, it might be a crazy idea. But we know for sure that this incident will completely change the trajectory of Josh's life. Well, he could walk away from it all, but personally, I don't think so. I imagine him basking in his glory and taking pride in having become the local hero and being nothing less than a messiah in someone's life. He could sink into his obsession and lose touch with reality, or maybe he'll get a wake-up call, but hopefully it won't be too late by then.
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