Capsule reviews for June 24

Hunt for the Wilderpeople

The latest offbeat comedy from New Zealand director Taika Waititi (What We Do In the Shadows) is a coming-of-age saga about a troubled teen (Julian Dennison) sent to live with a foster family on a rural farm. Then a tragedy causes him to flee into the woods along with his rugged outdoorsman of a foster father (Sam Neill), which leads to a nationwide manhunt. Waititi uses familiar themes to launch a exploration of misfit male bonding and surrogate families with heartfelt tenderness and visual flair. His character-driven script juggles tones while managing to sidestep forced quirks and cheap sentiment, generating solid laughs along its journey. (Rated PG-13, 101 minutes).

The Phenom

The mental side of baseball might be critical to winning, but it’s not all that exciting to watch, as proven by this character-driven drama about a rookie pitcher (Johnny Simmons) who endures some devastating control problems with his fastball, causing him to be sent to the minors and to a sports psychologist (Paul Giamatti). They explore how his troubles might be linked to unresolved issues from his past, including those involving his abusive father (Ethan Hawke). The acting is solid and director Noah Buschel (The Missing Person) employs some stylish visual touches. Yet they’re compromised by an uneven if heartfelt script that feels contrived and fragmented. (Not rated, 88 minutes).

River

This cat-and-mouse thriller might be set in Laos, but its contrivances are right out of Hollywood. It follows John (Rossif Sutherland), an American volunteer surgeon who becomes entangled in a violent tragedy while trying to protect a local girl. The incident leaves the kind-hearted doctor questioning his own morals as he becomes a fugitive, trying to get across the Mekong River to find diplomatic shelter. The screenplay by rookie director Jamie Dagg touches on legal issues involving foreigners in strange lands. However, despite a determined portrayal by Sutherland (son of Donald), what could have been an intriguing character study instead turns formulaic and far-fetched. (Not rated, 87 minutes).

The Shallows

Indeed, there’s nothing deep about this latest thriller featuring a stranded person facing the elements at sea. In this case, a surfer (Blake Lively) is vacationing on a secluded Mexican beach when she witnesses a great white shark attack, then takes refuge on a small rock within sight of shore. As the creature closes in, she has no resources or provisions, her cries for help go unheard, and she becomes injured and spills blood in the water. While the premise has some inherent tension, director Jaume Collet-Serra (Non-Stop) opts for contrivances and cheap thrills instead of developing suspense in a way that raises the stakes. (Rated PG-13, 87 minutes).

Wiener-Dog

Notoriously misanthropic director Todd Solondz (Welcome to the Dollhouse) continues his comic examination of human despair with this anthology of four stories linked by a dachshund. The pooch changes hands from a lonely young boy (Charlie Tahan) to a nerdy veterinary technician (Greta Gerwig) to a fledgling film professor (Danny DeVito) to a bitter old woman (Ellen Burstyn). Along the way, Solondz sprinkles some absurdist whimsy (and in-jokes for his fans) into his usual cynical meditation on the human condition. Not for all tastes, the well acted but deliberately paced result includes some clever observations while not adding up to much in the end. (Rated R, 88 minutes).