Capsule reviews for Sept. 25

Ashby

The ambition outpaces the execution of this coming-of-age drama that follows Ed (Nat Wolff) through an awkward year as the nerdy new kid at his high school, where he tries to make the football team, connects with a shy classmate (Emma Roberts), laments the promiscuity of his single mother (Sarah Silverman), and befriends his strange neighbor (Mickey Rourke) – a terminally ill former CIA assassin who spouts pearls of wisdom. The strong performances allow for the development of some intriguing character dynamics, although the script by director Tony McNamara can’t tie all of the overlapping storylines together in a way that’s either consistently amusing or poignant. (Rated R, 103 minutes).

Finders Keepers

The lives of a grieving drug addict and an opportunistic aspiring comedian converge in the most absurd way possible in this documentary that probes a hilarious and oddly poignant case of a North Carolina man who bought a smoker at a storage auction, only to find it contained a human foot. When approached by the amputee about giving it back, the new owner instead sees it as his key to fame and fortune, and a legal battle ensues. The film presents a persuasive case for both of them to keep the wayward limb in an uneven but amusing look at media sensationalism and redneck eccentricities. (Rated R, 84 minutes).

Mississippi Grind

Putting a fresh spin on familiar themes, this character-driven drama is a confident bet. It chronicles the partnership between a pair of gamblers — Gerry (Ben Mendelsohn) is a chronic loser who owes everybody money, and Curtis (Ryan Reynolds) is a mysterious drifter who’s always lucky. On a road trip from Iowa to New Orleans, they play poker in various cities along the Mississippi River and navigate the pitfalls of their lifestyle. The deliberately paced script by directors Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck (Half Nelson) is evocative in its authentic depiction of casino dynamics and lost souls, complemented by solid performances and a catchy blues soundtrack. (Rated R, 108 minutes).

Pay the Ghost

The latest Nicolas Cage low-budget thriller finds him playing a New York college professor whose young son is abducted during a Halloween carnival. The ensuing guilt causes a rift with his wife (Sarah Wayne Callies) and leads to a series of nightmares and haunting images that leads him to believe sinister supernatural forces might be involved. Cage tries to elevate the pedestrian material, and German director Uli Edel (Body of Evidence) brings some modest visual flair. Very little of it is frightening, even by indiscriminate genre standards. But the story is so incoherent that it simply becomes more laughable instead of suspenseful as it goes along. (Not rated, 94 minutes).

Welcome to Leith

Both fascinating and infuriating, this documentary tracks the efforts of notorious white supremacist Craig Cobb to buy land in the titular North Dakota farming town (population 24), then announce his efforts to lure his supporters to join him and take over the local government. As the frightened locals urge the authorities to fight back against the interloper, it launches an examination of political extremism, community activism and constitutional rights. Framed as a thriller with Cobb as the villain — a role he seems to relish — the film captures plenty of candid footage and is impressive in its objectivity despite the obvious inclination to join the outrage. (Not rated, 86 minutes).