Capsule reviews for Aug. 19

Imperium

An audacious performance by Daniel Radcliffe boosts this modestly provocative cop thriller above its formulaic trappings. The erstwhile Harry Potter star plays Nate, a timid FBI agent nominated by his boss (Toni Collette) for a dangerous undercover mission infiltrating a white supremacist group rumored to be planning a terrorist attack. With a shaved head and a loose-cannon mentality, Nate meets a variety of ordinary suburban folks with sinister intentions. That creepy element — that evil lurks in the most unsuspecting places — adds suspense to this true-life saga, even if the screenplay by rookie director Daniel Ragussis tends to muddle the motives and moral complexities in the case. (Rated R, 109 minutes).

Lo and Behold: Reveries of the Connected World

Acclaimed filmmaker Werner Herzog (Grizzly Man) puts on his thinking cap for his latest documentary that tries to explain the wonders of the Internet, from its creation to the possibilities the future holds. Various segments include interviews with computer nerds, robotics experts, hackers, physicists, inventor Elon Musk, some tweeting monks, and people allergic to radiation who live off the grid in West Virginia. Some of it is dry, although Herzog’s approach includes his usual quirky humor to enliven his subject. More importantly, it’s a provocative glimpse into technology and the power of innovation that shows both the endless benefits and the inherent dangers of constant connectivity. (Rated PG-13, 98 minutes).

Morris From America

Quietly profound if generally predictable, this coming-of-age saga from director Chad Hartigan (This Is Martin Bonner) stars newcomer Markees Christmas in the title role, an optimistic American teenager who moves to Germany, where his single father (Craig Robinson) works as a soccer coach. As Morris is forced to mature while making new friends, the film offers a deeper examination of cultural differences and adjustments, but also the subtle things that link us all — from music and fashion to flirtations and insecurities. Christmas has a charismatic screen presence and Robinson balances humor and wisdom in a change-of-pace role, as the father-son dynamic forms an emotional anchor. (Rated R, 91 minutes).

The People vs. Fritz Bauer

Covering similar ground with less success than Labyrinth of Lies, this German thriller is more compelling as a character study than a true-life historical saga. The title character (Burghart Klaussner) is an attorney general in Frankfurt during the 1950s, when he becomes obsessed with tracking down Nazi war criminals. Specifically, he spearheads an effort to arrest and prosecute the exiled Adolf Eichmann, and then extradite him back to Germany. But Bauer meets plenty of resistance and urge him not to meddle in the past. There are some intriguing moral questions at the film’s core, and Klaussner’s portrayal helps to balance out an unfocused and melodramatic script. (Rated R, 105 minutes).

A Tale of Love and Darkness

Oscar-winning star Natalie Portman makes her directorial debut with this ambitious but mediocre true-life period drama (in Hebrew, no less) about Amos Oz (Amir Tessler), who grows up as a writer in Jerusalem as British rule transitions to Israeli independence in the 1940s, as the son of a librarian (Gilad Kehana) and a troubled mother (Portman) struggling to cope with change. It’s obviously a personal film for Portman, who was born in Israel and also adapted the screenplay from Oz’s memoir. Yet despite the intriguing historical backdrop, the heartfelt result is unfocused and excessively somber, managing only a fraction of the intended emotional impact. (Rated PG-13, 95 minutes).