What’s there to lose if one inherits $9.2 billion without having to work for it? Everything. And that runs through the elegant, entertaining mystery called Sharper, a con-game flick on Apple TV+. The criminal is in front of the viewer, in full flow, first robbing petty cash, then millions and then the jackpot, yet the narrative-knife manages to set the viewer up effectively before going for the final stab.

The Benjamin Caron-directed (known for his contribution to TV shows like The Crown and Sherlock) film is an elaborate scheme hatched by seasoned professionals working together, stabbing one another in the back, before moving on to the next game. It’s mounted on the scale of a Hollywood film but Apple TV+ has managed to grab this one for its viewers.

The film’s biggest charm is the manner in which a series of trickery is set in motion, at a bookstore of all places. Shy young man Tom (Justice Smith) runs a used bookstore. It can be lucrative, especially when it’s home to, say, a first edition of Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre. NYU grad student Sandra (Briana Middleton) walks in with her charm and a maxed-out credit card. Tom obviously hasn’t dated in a while and falls head over heels for Sandra. Early days of love can’t be all that bad, especially when a combination of sushi, sex and book talk gets doled out. Too much of sushi can’t be good, Tom finds out. They can’t forever be talking about PhD and how she is exploring black feminist studies. Sandra’s problematic brother needs $350,000, which Tom has in his bank account, courtesy his rich dad. Money in the bag, Sandra disappears.

Screenwriters Brian Gatewood and Alessandro Tanaka are the real heroes of the film, thanks to the way they have crafted the script, ensuring British TV director Caron gets a great feature debut. Each con job is turned into a chapter but ultimately it all links back to the bookstore. And with each passing chapter, the weight of the actor’s reputation gets heavier.

Enter city slicker Max (Sebastian Stan), who drives a fast car, knows how to move around in social circles and is excellent at putting up a show. All he needs is an assistant who he believes is not as good a con artist as him.

The third chapter is the most interesting one — New York socialite Madeline (Julianne Moore) is in love with her billionaire husband Richard (John Lithgow). This is where the suspense metre is turned up to eleven while keeping at its heart Richard’s philosophy — a version of “be good, or be good at it”.

The biggest problem Caron has to deal with is the degree to which the audience can anticipate the surprising reveals several steps ahead of time. The way the chapters connect may appear to be a letdown because of the obviousness but the ending is a surprise.

Second, it helps to have a stellar cast, especially Moore and Middleton. Even though the latter is a relative newcomer on the scene, she slips into the sophisticated role of Sandra, who believes she is a better con artist than the rest. To see Moore in a playful role is a joy. As for Stan, he is dashing and bratty, while Lithgow is perfectly cast and even though it’s not a cartoonish role, he brings about a degree of lightheartedness.

Not that Sharper is perfect. There are preposterous developments and the relationships are not fully explored. There are moments when all that the characters do is strike a pose in designer outfits and, when the occasion demands, kiss slow and steady. The soundtrack is excellent for a weekend evening but what viewers hear are snatchiest of snatches of songs like Dirty Laundry, Count Your Blessings, Slippery People, I Won’t Let You Down and In The Night. What the script lacks is an underlying sense of humour.

But what the movie doesn’t fail to offer is engagement. The wealthiest people live in New York City and then there are those neighbourhoods where people just about get by. It’s a city where one can become a celebrated name or live in anonymity. And at the end of the day, everyone’s out to make a living and outdo each other.

There are no honest characters in the film but there is only honesty on part of the actors playing the con artists. Caron’s decision to shoot Sharper on actual film instead of digital has given the film’s surroundings a textured feel. Perhaps having some more grit under the fingernails would have helped the plot. Yet, Sharper is sleek, stylish… and almost sharp.