Capsule reviews for Aug. 21

Being Evel

This affectionate documentary pays tribute to legendary stuntman Evel Knievel, the legendary 1970s motorcycle stuntman who helped to pave the way for some of the extreme sports that are popular today. Through plentiful interviews and impressive archival footage, the film provides a straightforward chronicle of his career highlights (including the infamous crash at Caesars Palace and the Snake River Canyon rocket launch), but more importantly it offers insight into Knievel’s motives and flamboyant personality, which was both gregarious and severely temperamental. Although he could dig deeper in spots, director Daniel Junge (Fight Church) captures a bygone era through the legacy of a larger-than-life character. (Not rated, 99 minutes).

Digging For Fire

The story may be slight, but the emotional impact of this mostly improvised drama is much deeper. It chronicles a weekend of marital turmoil involving Tim (Jake Johnson), who parties at home with friends while Lee (Rosemarie DeWitt) takes their young son to visit her parents. Both indulge in flirtations along the way that test their feelings for one another. Although the material doesn’t explore new themes, it offers a clever examination of commitment through the framework of a mystery involving the remains of a human skeleton that Tim discovers. Moreover, it spotlights a terrific ensemble cast including Anna Kendrick, Melanie Lynskey and Sam Rockwell. (Rated R, 83 minutes).

Grandma

Although it sometimes struggles to balance outrageous with sensitive, this comedy of female bonding has big laughs and a big heart. Best of all, it boasts a wonderful return to form for Lily Tomlin as Elle, a poet still grieving the loss of her lesbian lover when her pregnant teenage granddaughter (Julia Garner) shows up at her doorstep, needing money for an abortion. Rather than ask her overbearing mother (Marcia Gay Harden), the teen decides to accompany the outspoken and eccentric Elle on a cathartic quest for funds. The script by director Paul Weitz (American Pie) is uneven, but manages to find a bawdy sweet spot. (Rated R, 79 minutes).

Learning to Drive

Despite some bumps in the road, there are small rewards in this intimate character study from director Isabel Coixet (The Secret Life of Words) about a Manhattan writer (Patricia Clarkson) whose marriage has fallen apart. She doesn’t have a license, so she befriends a Sikh driving instructor (Ben Kingsley) with family troubles of his own. Although it’s steered in some sentimental directions, with the lessons as an obvious metaphor for the need to navigate obstacles on the streets of life, the film also is sharply observed with regard to the cultural melting pot that is New York. The performances make it a journey worth taking. (Rated R, 89 minutes).

Some Kind of Beautiful

A decent cast is squandered in this clumsy attempt at a screwball comedy that chronicles the sexual shenanigans of an aging British literary professor (Pierce Brosnan) who learns that he’s impregnated one of his students (Jessica Alba). In an effort to clean up his act, he reluctantly agrees to move with her to the United States and fulfill his paternal responsibilities, except he finds old womanizing habits die hard. It’s a misguided tale of redemption from director Tom Vaughan (Extraordinary Measures) that’s driven almost completely by coincidences without a hint of realistic grounding. The actors, including Salma Hayek as another love interest, are left stranded. (Rated R, 99 minutes).