Capsule reviews for May 25

The Gospel According to Andre

Since he’s not a designer, this glimpse into the life and work of longtime fashion influencer and magazine editor Andre Leon Talley doesn’t spend much time on tailoring dresses or choosing outfits. Rather, it looks at how his upbringing in churchgoing family in the Jim Crow South shaped his later career and made him both an anomaly and an industry icon. His imposing physical stature and larger-than-life flamboyance make him both engaging and intimidating, although couture aficionados might have appreciated a closer examination of his specific tastes rather than a parade of celebrity talking heads who gush about Talley without offering much substantive insight. (Rated PG-13, 94 minutes).

How to Talk to Girls at Parties

As off-putting and obnoxious as it might be, at least admire the unique vision in this wacky musical comedy from director John Cameron Mitchell (Hedwig and the Angry Inch). Set in the London suburbs in 1977, it follows a geeky teenage musician (Alex Sharp) caught up in the rise of the punk movement, when he becomes enamored with a girl (Elle Fanning) at a party who turns out to be a member of a humanoid cult. Based on a Neil Gaiman short story, the film manages an amusing throwback vibe — and a nod to some David Bowie-style androgyny — but contains little substance beneath the spectacle. (Rated R, 102 minutes).

In Darkness

After it spends the opening minutes establishing a rich sense of atmospheric suspense, this flimsy psychological thriller loses sight of any such ambitions in a mess of incoherent plotting. It follows Sofia (Natalie Dormer), a blind pianist who constantly listens to the horror movie scores her orchestra records, unaware that the sounds provide an ideal backdrop for the goings-on around her, such as the death of an upstairs neighbor (Emily Ratajkowski) that she soon learns is the result of foul play. Secrets are subsequently revealed, which should prompt moviegoers to realize Sofia’s impairment is nothing more than a cheap plot device to raise the cat-and-mouse stakes. (Not rated, 110 minutes).

Summer 1993

Tender and evocative, this quietly powerful coming-of-age drama takes a naturalistic approach to telling the story of Frida (Laia Artigas), a 6-year-old Barcelona girl still mourning her mother’s death when she is adopted by her aunt, Marga (Bruna Cusi), which forces her to adjust to life in the countryside with a new family. Marga’s patience with the youngster is tested when Frida starts acting out in dangerous ways because of her unresolved grief. This autobiographical effort from rookie director Carla Simon is heartfelt and authentic, never lapsing into a didactic glimpse into child psychology. Artigas offers a wonderfully expressive performance that conveys both heartbreak and hope. (Not rated, 97 minutes).

Who We Are Now

A deep ensemble cast elevates an uneven story in this character-driven redemption drama from Australian director Matthew Newton (From Nowhere). Among its intersecting subplots are those involving an ex-convict (Julianne Nicholson) entangled in a custody dispute for her son (Logan Schuyler Smith), and an aspiring young lawyer (Emma Roberts) dealing with a host of issues involving her boss (Jimmy Smits) and overbearing mother (Lea Thompson). Newton’s screenplay sometimes feels unfocused, and perhaps too ambitious, yet amid the slightly manipulative structure are some intriguing character dynamics and moments of powerful authenticity. The committed portrayal of Nicholson (I, Tonya) galvanizes the material by generating hard-earned sympathy. (Not rated, 95 minutes).