Capsule reviews for July 11

A Long Way Down

British author Nick Hornby’s bittersweet tale of redemption doesn’t translate well from page to screen in this sometimes amusing but mostly annoying adaptation from French director Pascal Chaumeil (Heartbreaker). It starts with a New Year’s Eve rooftop meeting of suicidal despair between a disgraced television host (Pierce Brosnan), an impetuous drug addict (Imogen Poots), a cancer patient (Aaron Paul) and an exhausted mother (Toni Collette). They form an unlikely bond that might help turn their lives around. From there, it lunges along in predictable fashion through a series of quirky contrivances that might be tasteless if they weren’t so trite. It squanders a talented ensemble cast. (Rated R, 96 minutes).

Made in America

Ron Howard directed this documentary that goes behind the scenes of the titular 2012 music festival in Philadelphia, which was organized by hip-hop mogul Jay-Z with a diverse lineup that included Pearl Jam, Skrillex, Janelle Monae and the Hives — intended to bring fans and musicians together to celebrate various styles and genres. Howard’s brief interviews with the artists and others associated with the event don’t capture much insight (with the amusing exception of an elderly neighbor who eagerly shares her opinion), but at least there’s plenty of music to bridge the gaps, especially from the headliners. The tone is too reverential, yet it keeps a pleasant rhythm. (Not rated, 93 minutes).

Rage

Nicolas Cage continues his spin on the B-movie carousel with this absurd revenge thriller, in which he plays a businessman prompted to confront his violent past after his teenage daughter is kidnapped during a suspected home invasion. Despite pleas from a detective (Danny Glover) to stay put, it isn’t long before he rounds up some of his old gangster buddies, dons a leather jacket, carries a sawed-off shotgun, engages in urban car chases, and plows through other vigilante action staples. Some ludicrous plot twists follow, and even the stylish fight sequences don’t have much of an impact because the film takes itself way too seriously. (Rated R, 98 minutes).

Road to Paloma

The directorial debut of actor Jason Momoa (Conan the Barbarian) is an earnest but formulaic story of redemption set among the Native American reservations in the Southwest. Momoa stars as Wolf, a drifter forced to flee across the country with a musician and fellow biker (Michael Raymond-James) after avenging his mother’s murder, an act that leads to feelings of betrayal among his family. Momoa shows some promise in some of the low-budget film’s quieter, character-driven moments, and there’s a well-meaning message about the need for greater law enforcement on reservations. However, those modest strengths are compromised by the lack of subtlety and the road-movie cliches. (Rated R, 90 minutes).