Capsule reviews for Dec. 2

Answers to Nothing

This aptly titled ensemble drama would like to be the latest incarnation of Oscar winner Crash but winds up as a pale imitator. Set against the backdrop of a missing-persons investigation involving a young girl, it follows the intertwined lives of lost souls in Los Angeles trying to find meaning and redemption in their lives. The uneven and episodic script by director Matthew Leutwyler (Dead and Breakfast) strains to be profound at almost every turn but instead turns trite and heavy-handed. The cast includes Dane Cook, in a rare dramatic role, along with Elizabeth Mitchell, Zach Gilford and Barbara Hershey. (Rated R, 123 minutes).

Outrage

Japanese filmmaker Takeshi Kitano returns to his roots in yakuza gangster pictures with this mostly exciting tale of a Tokyo crime boss (played by Takeshi) becoming caught up in battles for power with rival syndicates. What starts as an innocent deal involving an ex-con (Renji Ishibashi) turns into a bloody saga of corruption, betrayal, honor and greed. While the script meanders and becomes repetitive, and the audience might struggle to find a rooting interest, the film redeems itself. Kitano is very much in his element while staging a variety of shootouts and ultraviolent confrontations. His stylish direction and crafty editing should thrill genre aficionados. (Rated R, 109 minutes).

Sleeping Beauty

This twisted Australian take on the fairy tale is definitely not for children, instead positioning its heroine as a struggling college student named Lucy (Emily Browning) who takes a job as a sex worker to pay her bills. Her duties include serving dinner in lingerie and being an escort to affluent older men. Give Browning (Sucker Punch) credit for a bold performance that is effectively understated. Rookie writer-director Julia Leigh prefers to stage the action (or lack thereof) in long, deliberate takes but keeps her characters almost defiantly aloof. The emotions are so muted that much of the film’s provocative intent is compromised. (Not rated, 101 minutes).