Echo Valley was among my most anticipated Apple TV+ movies but it’s a huge disappointment. Thankfully, there’s a better Julianne Moore-led thriller to watch instead.
Out of the seven new movies and shows recently released, I recommended streaming Echo Valley based on the film’s star-studded cast, which included Euphoria‘s Sydney Sweeney, Sirens star Julianne Moore, and Fallout‘s Kyle MacLachlan.
But with a divisive 50% Rotten Tomatoes rating from the critics (at the time of writing), Echo Valley has not lived up to my expectations. Its low critical score also means it won’t be featuring in our best Apple TV+ movies roundup.
The 2023 movie Sharper, on the other hand, fared a lot better in comparison, with its 68% Rotten Tomatoes score from the critics and a 73% rating from audiences. Indeed, out of the two Moore-starring movies, I’d suggest streaming Sharper instead of Echo Valley.
Why you should stream Sharper instead of Echo Valley
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Sharper is not only an Apple TV+ movie, it’s also produced by A24, so if you’re a fan of that studio you might be immediately drawn in by that. It’s usually HBO Max that is home to A24 gems, but this one is an Apple TV+ exclusive.
Much like Echo Valley, Sharper also has a star-studded cast that also includes Julianne Moore. It also stars Sebastian Stan, Justice Smith and John Lithgow, and does a much better job of making use of its talent.
Sharper is told through nonlinear vignettes, with each focusing on different characters, so everyone here gets a time to shine in the spotlight. Considering there was a real lack of focus on MacLachlan especially in Echo Valley, save for some brief scenes, it’s nice to see a cast getting to feature properly here.
All of these vignettes are linked, with the overall plot centering on a man named Tom who is conned by a woman named Sandra, before branching out and focusing on a series of larger schemes, with themes of revenge and deception running throughout.
Sharper went down well with critics, receiving a ‘Fresh’ rating. Among the positive reviews was Kevin Maher, a top critic for The Times, who said in his review: “It’s almost literally design philosophy as cinema… elevated by a whip-smart screenplay about conning the super-rich and a series of faultless central turns from Julianne Moore, Sebastian Stan and Justice Smith.”
Elsewhere, Jake Coyle with Associated Press called it “a slinky, slick caper that finds ways to distort expectations while unfolding a puzzle-box narrative”.
So if you’re looking for a gripping thriller that makes very good use of it ensemble cast with style, you’ll definitely find it in Sharper, and I’d recommend skipping the disappointing Echo Valley to watch it instead.
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