Capsule reviews for May 11

Always at the Carlyle

Most of us will never set foot in the titular ultra-swanky Manhattan hotel, a favorite of Hollywood stars and visiting dignitaries because of its posh accommodations and notoriously discreet staff. So this documentary gives us a tour, saluting the folks who’ve worked there for decades and rubbed shoulders with celebrities such as George Clooney, Princess Diana, Jon Hamm, and other regulars. However, through parade of big-name interviewees, the result simply gushes at the opulence and celebrates superficial excess without providing much genuine insight about the Carlyle’s history or enduring legacy. By adhering to the hush-hush wishes of the hotel, the film even shortchanges the juicy gossip. (Rated PG-13, 92 minutes).

Anything

In a rare leading role, character actor John Carroll Lynch (The Founder) elevates this cryptically titled drama with an empathetic portrayal of a lost soul searching for companionship. He plays Early, a Mississippi widower whose suicidal tendencies have caused his sister (Maura Tierney) to relocate him to Los Angeles, where he becomes a tenant in a seedy Hollywood apartment building. That’s where he forms an unlikely bond with his transgender neighbor (Matt Bomer) over their mutual despair. The screenplay by director Timothy McNeil suffers from an abundance of distracting contrivances, although the film mostly provides a heartfelt exploration of grief, inclusion and starting over. (Rated R, 94 minutes).

Beast

Delivering genuine thrills and poignancy while subverting genre conventions, this striking debut for British director Michael Pearce is both gritty and polished. It follows a small-town woman (Jessie Buckley) whose relationship with a mysterious outsider (Johnny Flynn) is thrown into turmoil when he’s named as a murder suspect. Against the suspicions of her fellow villagers during the ensuing investigation, she stands behind him. Buckley brings depth and complexity to her portrayal of an emotionally troubled yet fiercely independent loner fighting society’s expectations, and Pearce’s eccentric screenplay crafts some intriguing character dynamics that steer the unsettling story in unexpected directions. The result is evocative and suspenseful. (Rated R, 107 minutes).

Boom for Real

Perhaps the most influential period in the life of renegade artist Jean-Michel Basquiat was during the late 1970s in New York. That’s the setting for this documentary from longtime Jim Jarmusch collaborator Sara Driver, which contrasts the city’s socioeconomic despair of the time with the rise of a vibrant underground art scene. Specifically, it uses interviews and archival footage to trace Basquiat’s late teenage years, including his humble artistic beginnings as a homeless graffiti artist. Ultimately, the film is more noteworthy for the evocative recollections of its setting than for the insight it provides into Basquiat’s tragic life and enduring legacy, although fans will find rewards. (Not rated, 78 minutes).

Breaking In

The latest entry off the assembly line of home-invasion thrillers features a spirited performance by Gabrielle Union as a feisty heroine using both brains and brawn in trying to save her family. But otherwise it’s silly and incoherent. Union plays a mother taking her two children to visit their estranged grandfather in his upscale home, only to find a robber (Billy Burke) and his cohorts have arrived first. As a life-or-death battle ensues, Shaun tries to use her maternal instincts to thwart the tough-guy attackers. Some stylish direction by James McTeigue (V for Vendetta) can’t compensate for some massive logical gaps and eye-rolling twists. (Rated PG-13, 88 minutes).

The Escape

Gemma Arterton’s committed performance outshines the material in this awkwardly titled and highly improvised British drama about a crumbling relationship. She plays a suburban mother who realizes she’s no longer committed to the life she shares with her husband (Dominic Cooper) and two children, although she has difficulty articulating her exact motives — relying mostly on blank stares and subtle hints. The screenplay features minimal dialogue, which forces the actors to convey emotion through body gestures and facial expressions. Such thespian aptitude can be credited with generating modest emotional resonance, although the film’s minimalist approach works to push viewers away rather than create the desired intimacy. (Not rated, 105 minutes).

Filmworker

Anonymous below-the-line toilers everywhere should celebrate this fascinating documentary about one of their own. Leon Vitali played a supporting role in Stanley Kubrick’s Barry Lyndon, then later fulfilled a lifelong dream by becoming the legendary auteur’s right-hand man and primary confidant for the rest of Kubrick’s life — sacrificing his acting career and his health along the way. Although plagued by an uneven structure, the film provides valuable insight into Kubrick’s obsessive personality and painstaking artistic process through anecdotes and a treasure trove of archival items. It’s also a compelling glimpse into film restoration through the eyes of a loyal sidekick worthy of the spotlight. (Not rated, 93 minutes).

Measure of a Man

Heartfelt lessons about bullying and self-esteem are shoehorned into a contrived and predictable narrative structure in this mildly nostalgic coming-of-age drama adapted from a novel by journalist Robert Lipsyte. It follows Bobby (Blake Cooper), an overweight and socially awkward teenager spending another dreaded summer with his family at a lake house in upstate New York. He reconnects with friends and enemies alike, suspects that his father (Luke Wilson) is having an affair, and secures a landscaping job for an affluent cheapskate (Donald Sutherland) with words of wisdom and a secret past. Cooper’s scrappy portrayal can’t save a clichéd film that too often plays it safe. (Rated PG-13, 100 minutes).

Revenge

Of the badass heroines that have populated screens recently, none has been tougher or more resilient than the protagonist in this brutally ultraviolent French thriller, marking a stylish and assured debut for director Coralie Fargeat. Jen (Matilda Lutz) is the sultry mistress of a wealthy businessman (Kevin Janssens) who brings her along on a desert hunting trip with his equally indulgent buddies. When things get out of hand, the guys try to get rid of her, except that she refuses to die. The deliberately paced story lacks credibility and surprise. However, the dazzling visuals — not for the squeamish — along with Lutz’s ferocious performance more than compensate. (Rated R, 108 minutes).

Terminal

If a storyline overloaded with noir and revenge tropes doesn’t dissuade you from this shallow and superficial science-fiction thriller, than the obnoxiously hyperactive visuals should do the trick. It centers on femme-fatale Annie (Margot Robbie), a waitress and stripper in a neon-overloaded futuristic city. She proves adept at navigating encounters with various lowlifes and weirdos, including a pair of bickering hitman and a suicidal man (Simon Pegg) with a shady past. While rookie director Vaughn Stein clearly enjoyed Alice in Wonderland and Pulp Fiction, he doesn’t do a particularly good job of ripping them off, and he drags a decent ensemble cast down with him. (Rated R, 95 minutes).