Culture / Film

Your first look at ‘Sharp Stick’, Lena Dunham’s first film in over a decade

sharp stick film

After more than a decade, Lena Dunham is about to drop not one but two new films. The first is an adaptation of the children's novel Catherine, Called Birdy which we can expect on our screens sometime in September this year. As for the other? It's called Sharp Stick and it's much more aligned with the subject matter we've come to know Dunham for.

What is Sharp Stick about?

There's a lot going on in this plot. It opens with a 26-year-old virgin called Sarah Jo, played by Kristine Froseth of Looking for Alaska fame. Living on the outskirts of Hollywood with her over-sharey mother Marilyn, portrayed by Jennifer Jason Leigh and her outgoing aspiring influencer sister Treina, acted by Taylour Paige, Sarah Jo comes off as naive and introverted.

As part of her job as a caregiver to children with special needs, Sarah Jo assists a young boy called Zach whose parents are about to have another child. Pregnant and overworked, Lena Dunham is saddled with the role of Zach's mum Heather, while Jon Bernthal stars as her stay-at-home husband Josh.

In a bid to lose her virginity, Sarah Jo has set her sights on Josh as the final candidate, despite his married status and the possibility of losing her job. The two begin a short-lived affair, that teaches Sarah Jo about sex, porn, power and brings her own trauma of having a teenage hysterectomy to light, a story that mirrors Dunham's own experience. As the film progresses, Sarah Jo gets deeper into the world of porn, with Sharp Stick slated as having a sex positive angle.

Who has been cast?

As previously mentioned, Kristine Froseth, Taylour Paige, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Lena Dunham, and Jon Bernthal all play important roles in the film. Liam Michel Saux is onboard as Zach. Meanwhile, Tommy Dorfman, Luka Sabbat and Scott Speedman will also make appearances.

When will Sharp Stick premiere?

While, we don't have a date for its international release. We do know that Sharp Stick will premiere in theatres across New York City and Los Angeles from July 29, and will be distributed across the US on August 5.

Is there a trailer?

There sure is. The trailer dropped on June 24 ahead of its release in a month. Watch it, below.

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