Capsule reviews for May 16

Chinese Puzzle

This uneven French romantic comedy concludes a decade-long trilogy from director Cedric Klapisch that began with L’Auberge Espagnole and Russian Dolls. It follows the same characters through a new adventure that sees Xavier (Romain Duris) move to New York to be closer to Wendy (Kelly Reilly), the mother of his two children, where things don’t go as planned. Those familiar with the first two films will find the most rewards in this bittersweet concluding chapter, which shows that maturity doesn’t always come with age. Meanwhile, despite Klapisch’s meandering and self-aware script, the actors have a convincing rapport and the visuals make smart use of the setting. (Rated R, 117 minutes).

Don Peyote

Maybe controlled substances would bring more clarity to this Manhattan-based comedy about an unemployed stoner (Dan Fogler) whose ongoing commitment issues with his fiancée (Kelly Hutchinson) lead to his behavior becoming erratic, especially after an encounter on the street with a lunatic conspiracy theorist. Fogler, who also co-wrote and co-directed the film, uses this as an excuse for an incoherent series of hallucination sequences that are neither amusing nor visually compelling. It might have opted for a satirical examination of paranoia and fear mongering, but instead the film is consistently rambling and amateurish, and not helped by cameos from Anne Hathaway, Topher Grace and Jay Baruchel. (Rated R, 98 minutes).

A Night in Old Mexico

Robert Duvall is well within his element in this otherwise mundane drama of self-discovery and catharsis, playing a crotchety and cantankerous Texas cowboy on the verge of losing his ranch. So he rebels with one last hell-raising road trip across the border, during which he bonds with his estranged grandson (Jeremy Irvine). Duvall’s character is stubborn yet resilient as he spouts grizzled pearls of wisdom, but the periphery characters and subplots don’t add much to an already slight narrative. The script by Bill Wittliff (TV’s “Lonesome Dove”) has some effective comedic moments, yet is less compelling as an examination of aging or fractured family dynamics. (Not rated, 103 minutes).