Capsule reviews for Aug. 14

Amnesiac

Lack of memory might be the issue for the characters, but moviegoers likely will recall other projects more suspenseful than this pretentious low-budget thriller about an unnamed man (Wes Bentley) who wakes up bedridden following a car accident, then suspects that his wife (Kate Bosworth) might have sinister motives for imprisoning him. For a story confined essentially to a single setting, there are some nice visual touches from director Michael Polish (Northfork), yet the film feels too deliberate and calculated, as though it’s a short-film concept stretched to feature length. By the time the final twist leads to the big reveal, you might not care anymore. (Not rated, 84 minutes).

Meru

This frequently breathtaking documentary about daredevil mountain climbers ascends into the sky while also managing to remain grounded, for better and worse. It chronicles a trio of alpinists who overcome personal obstacles and tragedies in an effort to scale Meru, a daunting Himalayan mountain that had never been conquered previously. Famed climber Conrad Anker leads the expedition, accompanied by a pair of extreme filmmakers who capture some remarkable footage throughout the perilous journey. The attitude of the subjects is clearly more reckless than courageous, yet their spirit of discovery provides some visual thrills that develop suspense and don’t allow the story to vanish into thin air. (Rated R, 87 minutes).

Return to Sender

Hopefully the upward career trajectory of Rosamund Pike (Gone Girl) won’t be too adversely affected by this lurid revenge thriller in which she plays a nurse whose attempt at blind dating ends with a rape in her own kitchen. Even after the attacker (Shiloh Fernandez) is imprisoned, she continues to be psychologically scarred, and reaches out to the perpetrator seeking closure. More sleazy than suspenseful, the film attempts to navigate some dark and morally complex territory while lacking the justification for doing so. We’re left with a predictable final-act twist, a mumbling Nick Nolte, and a lead character far more intriguing than the material surrounding her. (Not rated, 95 minutes).

Ten Thousand Saints

Some stylish nostalgic touches can’t compensate for the lack of narrative momentum in this muddled coming-of-age drama from directors Robert Pulcini and Shari Springer Berman (American Splendor). It evocatively captures the cultural and social changes during the 1980s in the East Village of Manhattan through the eyes of Jude (Asa Butterfield), a teenager who needs guidance but whose fractured family includes a weed-dealing father (Ethan Hawke) and his girlfriend’s daughter (Hailee Steinfeld), who tries to help Jude through a tragedy. The emotionally uneven film is more intriguing in parts than as a whole, with the periphery characters often more compelling than the somewhat passive protagonist. (Rated R, 106 minutes).

Tom at the Farm

The latest effort from young French-Canadian auteur Xavier Dolan (Mommy) is an erratic yet frequently compelling thriller about grief, homophobia and fractured families. Dolan plays Tom, who meets the family of his recently deceased gay lover at their rural farm, only to find out that his aging mother (Lise Roy) wasn’t aware of their relationship and his older brother (Pierre-Yves Cardinal) is intent on manipulating the truth. The film mixes Dolan’s melodramatic tendencies with a more character-driven approach, and while the result sometimes struggles to shake its stagebound roots (it’s adapted from a play), there are moments of visual and dramatic beauty along the way. (Not rated, 102 minutes).