Sharp Stick

Sarah Jo is a 26-year-old woman living a precarious existence on the outskirts of Hollywood, struggling to define her place in the world. She resides with her mother and sister in a small, cluttered home, where tension and desperation hang in the air like a perpetual fog. Sarah Jo's life is a constant balancing act, as she navigates the complexities of her relationships with those around her. It's in this environment that Sarah Jo finds herself drawn to Maggie, a woman who is significantly older and more experienced. Maggie is Sarah Jo's employer, a filmmaker who has hired her to work on a project. Their relationship begins with a sense of familiarity and comfort, with Maggie taking Sarah Jo under her wing and teaching her the ways of the film industry. However, as time goes on, their connection evolves into something more intimate, with Maggie becoming Sarah Jo's lover. For Sarah Jo, this affair is a liberating experience. Maggie introduces her to a world of sex and pleasure that she had never known before, and Sarah Jo finds herself reveling in the freedom and self-expression that it brings. She is eager to learn and explore, and Maggie is more than happy to guide her on this journey. However, as their relationship deepens, Sarah Jo begins to realize just how little she truly understands about Maggie's life. Maggie is a complex and multifaceted person, with her own set of scars and vulnerabilities that she has carefully guarded over the years. As Sarah Jo presses for more intimacy and connection, she is met with resistance and hesitation, and she begins to realize that Maggie may not be ready to let her guard down. Meanwhile, Sarah Jo's relationships with her mother and sister continue to fray. Her sister, Lucy, has always felt like the favored child, and her relationship with Sarah Jo is strained to say the least. Their mother, who is struggling to cope with her own mortality, is increasingly dependent on Sarah Jo for emotional support. As Sarah Jo becomes more and more embroiled in her affair with Maggie, her relationships with her family members begin to suffer. One of the central themes of Sharp Stick is the way in which female relationships are often reduced to binary stereotypes. Sarah Jo's relationships with both Maggie and her sister are fraught with tension and misunderstanding, and she is constantly struggling to define herself within the context of these relationships. Her affair with Maggie is portrayed as a journey of self-discovery, as Sarah Jo learns to navigate the complexities of her own desires and emotions. Throughout the film, director Lena Dunham employs a unique visual style that is both nostalgic and dreamlike. The cinematography is warm and inviting, with a focus on natural lighting and soft colors. The film's use of close-ups and handheld camera work creates a sense of intimacy and immediacy, drawing the viewer into the world of the characters. The supporting cast in Sharp Stick is equally impressive, with standout performances from Jayne Houdyshell and Kris Baskarada. Houdyshell plays Sarah Jo's mother with a warm and loving heart, and Baskarada brings a sense of quiet intensity to his portrayal of Maggie's assistant. However, it is Dunham's performance as Sarah Jo that is the true standout, bringing a depth and nuance to the character that is both captivating and heart-wrenching. Ultimately, Sharp Stick is a film about the power of female relationships to both heal and harm. Through Sarah Jo's journey, the film explores the complexities of desire, loss, and intimacy, and the ways in which these experiences shape us into the people we become. As a coming-of-age story, Sharp Stick is both tender and unsparing, offering a rare and honest portrayal of what it means to be young and vulnerable in a world that is often indifferent to our feelings.