Capsule reviews for Feb. 16

The Boy Downstairs

It’s difficult to find unexplored territory with romantic comedies set in New York, although this mildly amusing low-budget effort benefits from strong performances amid its familiar elements. Diana (Zosia Mamet) is an aspiring novelist whose new apartment just happens to be in the same building as her ex-boyfriend (Matthew Shear), which awkwardly rekindles past feelings. If you buy into the far-fetched premise, the uneven screenplay by rookie director Sophie Brooks provides some modest rewards through its intriguing character dynamics. Mamet finds a neurotic balance of strength and vulnerability in her portrayal, even if the film as a whole doesn’t offer much genuine relationship insight. (Rated PG-13, 91 minutes).

Double Lover

French director Francois Ozon (Swimming Pool) again explores mistaken identity, gender politics, family dysfunction, mental illness, and sexual obsession in this erotic thriller that works best if you don’t take it too seriously. Chloe (Marine Vacth) is a troubled Parisian museum guard who falls for her psychiatrist (Jeremie Renier). But when she suspects secrets about his past, she seeks out his estranged twin brother, leading to a dangerous affair. Meanwhile, Chloe’s resulting hallucinations, and possible pregnancy, blend fantasy and reality. The film features plenty of arbitrary twists to bump up the weirdness quotient, yet somehow also builds suspense through its twisted tale of deception and revenge. (Not rated, 107 minutes).

Looking Glass

Voyeurism always has consequences in the movies, including this derivative low-budget thriller from veteran director Tim Hunter (River’s Edge), about a husband (Nicolas Cage) and wife (Robin Tunney) still grieving their daughter’s tragic death. So they start over by purchasing a rural motel, only to find that one of the rooms has a violent history, not to mention a double mirror accessed from a secret tunnel in the basement. So it shouldn’t be surprising when creepy happenings subsequently threaten the couple. The ubiquitous Cage is more understated than usual these days, which is a drawback since that consequently spotlights the uninspired film’s tedious incoherence. (Rated R, 95 minutes).

Loveless

Multilayered storytelling and complex characters invigorate this thematically familiar domestic drama about a fractured middle-class family in contemporary Moscow. It follows a businessman (Aleksey Rozin) and a beautician (Maryana Spivak) whose nasty divorce winds up with both finding new partners. But that leaves their 12-year-old son (Matvey Novikov) caught in the middle. When he suddenly disappears, the couple is confronted with bureaucratic red tape while contemplating their past and future. The perceptive screenplay by Russian director Andrey Zvyagintsev (Leviathan) weaves a provocative subtext into a story that’s hardly uplifting yet universally resonant. The result is an evocative and well-acted examination of parenting that’s powerful without preaching. (Rated R, 127 minutes).

Nostalgia

More pretentious than profound, this study of the relationship between memories and personal identity from director Mark Pellington (The Last Word) squanders a top-notch cast. It chronicles various tangential stories of grief, along with the real and sentimental value of material objects passed down through generations, crossing paths with a memorabilia collector (Jon Hamm) and his sister (Catherine Keener); a stubborn old man (Bruce Dern) whose items require appraisal; and a widow (Ellen Burstyn) trying to salvage possessions after a house fire. While the intentions might be heartfelt, the deliberately paced execution feels heavy-handed, only occasionally earning the level of poignancy it aspires to convey. (Rated R, 114 minutes).

The Party

A handful of acquaintances who don’t seem to like each other likewise don’t provide moviegoers much incentive for liking them either in this intimate black-and-white comedy from director Sally Potter (The Tango Lesson). It takes place entirely inside of a London dinner party among upscale friends that quickly descends into bickering over past secrets, relationship troubles and hidden agendas. The strong ensemble cast — including Kristin Scott Thomas, Timothy Spall, Bruno Ganz, Cillian Murphy and Patricia Clarkson — occasionally enlivens this muddled satire, which neither provides enough big laughs nor stirs up sufficient outrage. It feels like an acting workshop that might have played better on stage. (Rated R, 71 minutes).