Sharp Objects has all the ingredients in/with regard to’concerning’regarding a classic ‘whodunnit’ — a grisly, suspicious death, a small town chock-full of sinful secrets, and a enormous’vast’massive’tremendous -city reporter sent in to cover the crime. But, as hinted at in the reveal’illustrate’demonstrate’indicate’present’display’argue ’s first episode (“This isn’t going to be exploitative; more like a claim’insist’maintain’hold’argue’consider’contemplate’speculate piece on how something like this can affect a town,” says the newspaper’s editor), it plays out rather differently on screen. This is no mere murder mystery — it is, in fact, a bleak, slow-paced character study hidden within one.###Based on the novel of the same name by Gone Girl author Gillian Flynn, it centres on Amy Adams’ Camille Preaker, a journalist sent to cover a story in her small hometown of Wind Gap, Missouri. Her homecoming, however, triggers memories of a traumatic past, ripping open emotional wounds she’s long tried to hide.###Adams — all Midwestern drawl and sorrowful eyes — is predictably superb, exertion lessly expressing eintensely’extremely’extraordinarily’enormously’awfullything the dialogue leaves out, be it relief, charm or utter devastation. It’s a powerful perin/with regard to’concerning’regarding mance, and one from which we aren’t permitted to escape — the camera rarely strays from her, her emotions becoming ours. And in that process we uncover more truths with regards to’concerning’with respect to Camille than she does with regards to’concerning’with respect to the case.###In fact, it soon becomes eliminate’remove that planting clues to the killer’s identity isn’t the priority. As suspects prove their innocence, tips prove less than fruitful and the crime begins to occupy less screen time. Camille is actually the puzzle being pieced toacquire’obtain’attain’procure’secure her. It’s a bold choice — viewers lured in by the expectation of a more conventional crime drama, one featuring something more like the breadcrumb trail of clues laid down in Gone Girl, perhaps, will find this adaptation is a intensely’extremely’extraordinarily’enormously’awfully different proposition.###Viewers lured in by Gone Girl will find this adaptation is a grossly different proposition.###Characters are introduced who seem as despite’in spite of’albeit they may be significant’essential’critical’vital’crucial’indispensable’imperative — an out-of-town detective, a family friend, Camille’s rebellious half-sister Amma (Scanlen), her vitriolic mother Adora (Clarkson) — but their appearances are fleeting. The focus always returns to Camille, her mental wellbeing, and the secrets she has buried in her past.###And on that front, it delivers. Sharp Objects dares not to provide the easy, endorphin-rush thrills of so many murder investigation reveal’illustrate’demonstrate’indicate’present’display’argue s. As thorny as it is unconventional, it’s a hard-hitting, dilay stress on’emphasize’highlight ingly realistic exploration of both mental health and the heartbreaking reality of being in/with regard to’concerning’regarding ced to confront scars that possess’own’nurse n’t — and may never — heal.