Capsule reviews for Jan. 17

Back in the Day

There’s not much new ground to be broken when it comes to high school reunion comedies, but this low-brow effort forges ahead anyway, delivering a combination of gross-out gags and arrested development, with an underlying smugness that makes the whole thing insufferable. The responsible party is Michael Rosenbaum, who wrote and directed and also stars as a fledgling actor who returns to his Indiana hometown for a weekend with his old buddies, who are way more dysfunctional than him, and a chance to reunite with old flames. There aren’t many laughs along the way (unless you count fart jokes), nor is there any nostalgic value. (Rated R, 93 minutes).

Jamesy Boy

Skeptics of the criminal justice system will only find more ammunition in this ill-conceived prison drama, based on a true story, about a brash juvenile delinquent (Spencer Lofranco) who winds up in prison, where he runs afoul of the warden (James Woods) but finds unlikely inspiration from a fellow inmate (Ving Rhames). Rookie director Trevor White, who also co-wrote the script, jumbles the narrative chronology to help shape his tale of redemption. But that’s difficult when the protagonist seems more sociopathic than sympathetic, and when the film takes such a distorted view of the responsibility of role models and artistic expression in shaping troubled youth. (Not rated, 109 minutes).

Like Father, Like Son

Acclaimed Korean director Hirokazu Kore-eda again examines family dynamics and parental influence with this perceptive drama about an affluent couple whose life is thrown into turmoil when they discover their son (Keita Ninomiya) is not really theirs, but rather was inadvertently switched with another child by a nurse in the hospital. Their true child has been raised in a working-class household much different than their own. Although some of the film’s points are obvious, Kore-eda probes the bonds between parents and children with rich characters and heartfelt dialogue that sidesteps clichés. It’s well-acted and quietly powerful without settling for easy solutions to its unique dilemma. (Not rated, 121 minutes).

Life of a King

There are so many chess metaphors in this low-budget, true-life drama that it becomes distracting. Beyond that, however, lies a modestly inspirational story based on the life of Eugene Brown (Cuba Gooding Jr.), an ex-con released after more than a decade in prison, who starts a chess club and tries to become a mentor for underprivileged teens in Washington, D.C., while at the same time attempting to reconnect with his own children who felt neglected by his past actions. The result has a predictably wholesome and formulaic structure, yet is redeemed through solid performances from Gooding and the youngsters, and a heartfelt sincerity that rings true. (Rated PG-13, 101 minutes).

Summer in February

Repeated images of waves crashing against the seaside cliffs of Cornwall create a visually striking backdrop for this otherwise lugubrious period romance. It takes place in 1914 at the famed Lamorna artist colony, where outspoken Alfred Munnings (Dominic Cooper) finds that his working-class background and abusive behavior cause friction in his marriage to an aristocratic painter (Emily Browning), especially when Alfred’s best friend (Dan Stevens) reveals his true feelings. The shallow and melodramatic screenplay is based on a true story, yet it feels like a cheap “Downton Abbey” knockoff in which the characters lack sufficient depth or passion to achieve much of an emotional payoff. (Not rated, 101 minutes).