User Reviews

I was expecting a worse film from Lena Dunham, but Sharp Stick surprisingly is alright and it's watchable, yet it's still a mixed bag film concept and plot. I like indie films that naturally flow pace-wise and Sharp Stick's plot unfolds organically without feeling forced in the first half. While I think having a coming-of-age story set as a sex comedy can be interesting and full of complexity, the later half of the plot just lacked in storytelling and felt tedious once the main character Sarah Jo (Kristine Froseth) became obsessed with a porn star and inviting all these one-night stands to her apartment room, so she can check off on a literal list all the new sex acts and kinks she has tried. I just lost interest when it came to that point in the storyline. However, I do like the message stressed in the end that no one is perfect at sex, there is no such thing as "perfect sex," and one's self-esteem should never be affected because of "bad sex" one has experienced.

I've always wanted to see Jon Bernthal (he's easy on the eyes) as a romantic interest and this film achieves that lol. Bernthal as Josh and Froseth as Sarah Jo have natural chemistry in their scenes and I must be the only one that wanted their relationship to work out in the end in someway.

Recommended if you like indie films. I look forward to seeing Dunham's future directorial projects.

Saw this back at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival

The story is about Sarah Jo who is a naive 26-year-old living on the fringes of Hollywood with her mother and sister. She just longs to be seen. When she begins an affair with her older employer, she is thrust into an education on sexuality, loss and power. Director Lena Durham has become quite a figure with her controversies and there are some things she had said that I thought were quite terrible or I simply disagree with. Her first feature was "Tiny Furniture" which I thought was fun and decent. Durham does have talent to write and have some funny moments with her style. "Sharp Stick" however, I don't even know what happened here.

Durham seemed to create a story about sex and youth, yet, takes those concepts and make a huge mess. The story comes off incredibly idiotic and annoying like if someone is trying to smash a hammer across your head as you are bleeding from the eyes and skull. The actors are all talented but the characters they are given makes them really unbearable and really punchable at times. Many conversations and dialogue were came off pretentious and all over the place as if Durham had no idea what she was wanting to say to or to present in this movie.

What is the point? Why are we meant to like this character? Does Durham really lost her sense of purpose or was she drunk making this? Because it did feel like a drunk a person would make this such a mess of a movie.

The first half of the movie FEELS so unnecessary when watching it. But the second half and CLIMAX (hahaha) is worth the shocking beginning. I was left changed a bit by the end of the movie.

Although Jennifer Jason Leigh's character is ridiculous and angered a REAL mom like me in ending. I think her character was necessary, but PLEASE, don't make me puke. She did not make sure Sarah Jo accomplished anything.

***SPOILER*** There is zero way that Sarah Jo was a girl scout. Activities and support of a child requires ACTUAL work and money and time and care.

Lena Dunham is extremely talented, whether or not you see eye to eye with her. This movie makes you think. (Even if it means thinking about turning it off for the first 30 minutes.) And don't be swayed by the gratuitous, but VERY real sex scenes. I think she should hold back a little bit, if Dunham wants to get her message across. A lot of people would be turned off by the extremism. But don't let that stop you from appreciating a really good movie.

The lead female is portrayed like she is overly naïve and mentally challenged, knowing nothing about sex/love/relationships/intimacy despite the fact that she lives with her incredibly promiscuous sister and former groupie mother. Is she supposed to be portraying an autistic young woman who, at 26, discovers her sexuality? Is her innocence supposed to be endearing? Charming or quirky? Plausibly realistic? I have no idea.

It seems like Lena Dunham started writing a coming of age satire and then forgot halfway thru and tried to make it a 'think piece' and FAILED MISERABLY. Do not waste your time.

One might expect a Lena Dunham Rom-Com to have teeth, candour, shock But nothing prepared me for the excellence of this work - the insightful script, intense shooting style, the uniformly detailed and delicate performances.

As the title suggests, the film is about the pain of being a woman in an America under the lingering reign of phallicism. Even in this all-woman family, where all three principals have asserted their agency, the male power still causes damage.

At 25 Sarah Jo is a virgin already bearing embarrassing midsection scars from surgery. The emotional scars come here. She is an extremely competent caregiver for needy children, the Downs boy Zach in her opening job, the cerebral palsy girl at the end. Her free-spirited mother, Marilyn, has mastered the art of using men then dumping them. Sister Treina is a flashy assertive African-American, who usually appears in costume whether for or between shooting herself performing for video streaming. . While Mother Marilyn cruises on her even keel - usually stoned - her daughters find opposing trajectories. Treina's confidence is smashed when the boyfriend she's thinking of marrying denies responsibility for her pregnancy and dumps her. In a remarkably current scene, her family honours her regretful need for an abortion and celebrates the child she would have had.

In the central plot Sarah Jo's surrender of virginity leads to her first romantic betrayal. She admires her employer Josh's engaging relationship with his Downs son. She also believes his claim of detachment from his pregnant wife, Heather (an opulent performance by Dunham). The wife's expensive pregnancy suggests Josh was not sexually engaged.

For her initiation Sarah Jo approaches Josh in the laundry room, where he's playing the New Man, keeping it clean. To his credit he first resists the invitation - but then submits. With Heather away selling real estate Josh steadily increases his sexual activity with Sarah Jo.

Sarah Jo is initially discomfited by his oral performance on her, but comes to relish it as they grow together. Son Zach is a greater bond between them than between his parents. Josh even proposes they take him and leave together. But Heather, on the verge of delivery, recognizes the chain Josh gave Sarah Jo. Confronted, Josh confesses his affair and angrily expels Sarah Jo. That cool New Man turns into a blithering betraying loser that his strut and warm energy hid for so long.

Shaken both by her sister's and her own betrayal, Sarah Jo opts not to flee the sharp stick of romantic disappointment but to toughen herself by comprehensive experience. She proceeds to work through two poster-size lists of sexual practices. Now she is the aggressor, the user - but still not always successful. She doesn't get her "necrophilia." Her plan to use Josh's buddy Yuli as recipient of her blow job - the metaphor of which Josh taught her - is thwarted by shared cocaine, that other "blow." Josh also introduces Sarah Jo to internet porn. There she discovers her porn hero, Vance LeRoy, "king" of the tattooed studs. Her fan letter leads to his video message encouraging her to stop her trivial erotics and respect her possibility for a meaningful love affair.

At this point this hard-headed anatomy of sexual politics reveals its true genre, romantic comedy. Sarah Jo meets the engaging Africa American Arvin when he answers her ad for someone to blow. As he's not that casual, he brings her some drinks and wants to talk first. The free blow job doesn't impress him, because his work on porn film crews exposes him to them daily. That career enables him to convey her letter to Vance and return with the video message.

This could be the all-time classic "Meeting Cute" of the Rom-Com. Coupled with her new child-care job, this burgeoning romance makes for the genre's happy ending. As for Josh, we last see him suffering in the relationship he could serially betray but not leave. That stick is not so sharp after all.

It is an interesting one .......naive is a good word for the main actress ......not sure I'd call it a comedy although it is light & fluffy but never really gets into the drama or comedy it could have been. The funniest bit was her crush on the porn star ....and then he turned out to be a good guy giving her some sage advice on self esteem. The Married lover turned out to be a big disappointment for her ...promised so much delivered a couple of good times but let her down badly. But was played beautifully by Jon Bernthal extremely believable reminded me of my past lol ... guy was weak and not worthy of her affection in the end .. .....anyway it was an interesting way to spend 90 odd minutes ..her "mission " of sexual discovery was interesting.