Capsule reviews for Jan. 8

Anesthesia

In cramming together so many interlocking stories of existential angst, the structure of this well-intentioned ensemble drama feels more forced than authentic. It takes place during a New York winter and features key characters struggling with drugs, alcohol, depression, infidelity and more. They include a philosophy professor (Sam Waterston), his adult son (Tim Blake Nelson, who also directed) and his family, a troubled student (Kristen Stewart), and a corporate lawyer (Michael K. Williams) staging an intervention for a junkie friend. There are some tragedies and triumphs along the way, yet the film is more pretentious than profound as its big ideas become lost in the shuffle. (Rated R, 89 minutes).

Diablo

The thought of seeing Clint Eastwood’s son star in a Western might seem enticing, but there’s not much beneath the surface of this modest vigilante saga set in the Rockies in the late 19th century. Scott Eastwood plays an emotionally troubled Civil War veteran seeking revenge on the Mexican bandits who kidnapped his wife. During his search, he encounters a host of friends and foes including a ruthless gangster (Walton Goggins), a tribal chief (Adam Beach) and a skeptical rancher (Danny Glover). It’s all assembled into a visually striking package by director Lawrence Roeck (The Forger), without adding much to the cinematic legacy of frontier justice. (Rated R, 83 minutes).

The Forest

The bonds of sisterhood and the boundaries of common sense are each tested by this flimsy thriller about a young American woman (Natalie Dormer) on a desperate mission to rescue her troubled twin sister, a Tokyo schoolteacher who disappeared in the foothills of Mount Fuji, in a forest rumored to be filled with spirits and demons from those who’ve committed suicide there. The concept might sound promising as tries to exploit common fears, but the screenplay chooses to employ cheap scare tactics and arbitrary twists instead of developing genuine psychological suspense. Despite some mild frights, the result is likely to elicit more shrugs than screams. (Rated PG-13, 93 minutes).

Lamb

The moral questions at the center of this character-driven drama will have you fascinated, even if the way the film dances around them might leave you frustrated. Ross Partridge, who also wrote and directed, stars as a middle-aged man with a troubled personal life who essentially kidnaps a fragile 11-year-old girl (Oona Laurence) in a parking lot, then psychologically manipulates her while they retreat to a rural cabin to clear their heads. While Partridge never explicitly condones nor condemns his character’s actions — and the audience is right to feel a mix of outrage and discomfort — the well-acted film skillfully navigates some extremely tricky territory. (Not rated, 96 minutes).

The Treasure

As the title suggests, there are rewards in this slight but consistently amusing gem from Romanian director Corneliu Porumboiu (Police, Adjective), which follows two working-class Bucharest neighbors on an ill-fated quest to search for buried treasure rumored to have been left by one of their ancestors prior to World War II. The resulting wild goose chase brings them into contact with an underground metal specialist and the police who might want a share of the action. The deliberately paced film quietly balances its droll sense of humor with a sharply observed sociopolitical subtext about the struggles of contemporary Romania to break free from Communist ideologies. (Not rated, 88 minutes).