Capsule reviews for Nov. 6

Brooklyn

This tender romance from director John Crowley (Once) is a heartfelt examination of the immigrant experience through the eyes of Eilis (Saoirse Ronan), a young Irish woman who joins a prominent Irish community in Brooklyn during the 1950s, where she falls for a working-class Italian-American (Emory Cohen). When personal affairs bring her back home, however, is given Eilis some incentive to return to her roots, and becomes torn between her new life and her old one. The script by Nick Hornby (An Education) expertly mixes humor and poignancy into the dilemma of its protagonist, while Ronan and the supporting cast bring depth to familiar coming-of-age themes. (Rated PG-13, 111 minutes).

The Hallow

Some scattered thrills can’t overcome the pedestrian trappings of this monster movie that takes place in a small Irish town, where an English conservationist (Joseph Mawle) relocates with his wife (Bojana Novakovic) and infant son. His task is to examine a fungus in the adjacent forest, but when the rude locals warn him to stay away from the trees, he soon learns the reasons for himself when the family is haunted by mutant creatures. Rookie director Corin Hardy generates some mild frights from things going bump in the night, and the visual effects are adequate. However, the characters lack basic common sense, which blunts the suspense. (Not rated, 97 minutes).

Lost in the Sun

Some cliches about road trips and fractured families are combined with elements of an outlaw thriller in this story of a Texas drifter (Josh Duhamel) who pledges to transport a grieving teenager (Josh Wiggins) from his mother’s funeral to his grandparents’ house in New Mexico, only to enlist him as an accomplice in a string of small-time robberies. The script by director Trey Nelson conveys a sense of desperation for both characters amid some harsh conditions, yet has trouble building suspense as deeper motives are revealed. It’s a story of redemption and reconciliation that follows a well-worn path and strains credibility as it meanders along. (Not rated, 95 minutes).

Miss You Already

The therapeutic power of sisterhood can’t overcome the pedestrian storytelling in this melodrama from director Catherine Hardwicke (Twilight) about Milly (Toni Collette), who reaches out to her best friend, Jess (Drew Barrymore) after being diagnosed with breast cancer. Their free-spirited ways behind them, the pair must find optimism while coping with husbands whose support is waning, treatments that are physically and emotionally draining, and a diagnosis that looks increasingly bleak. The screenplay contains some poignant moments, and Collette finds some audacious authenticity in her performance. But this heartfelt tribute to female bonding is steered in predictable directions, more eager to jerk tears than explore new ground. (Rated PG-13, 112 minutes).

This Isn’t Funny

That bold title fits the self-deprecating vibe of this romantic comedy that nevertheless crumbles under a series of trite contrivances. Eliot (Katie Page) is a fledgling stand-up comic with anxiety issues who accidentally meets Jamie (Paul Ashton), a juice-bar manager originally from Australia. They form a bond in part as a coping mechanism for their respective dysfunctional families, but eventually grow closer. There are some scattered big laughs and an offbeat charm in the script by Page and Ashton (who also directed), with Page’s actual stand-up routine providing some of the material. Yet it’s too predictable and the territory ultimately feels more familiar than fresh. (Not rated, 86 minutes).