Capsule reviews for June 22
Boundaries
Except for a few brief detours, this road-trip comedy follows a familiar path toward reconciliation for a dysfunctional family. It centers on Laura (Vera Farmiga), a single mother whose pot-dealing father (Christopher Plummer) is kicked out of another nursing home, prompting a cross-country relocation in a vintage car with Laura’s teenage son (Lewis MacDougall) in tow during which secrets are gradually revealed. The heartfelt performances, especially by Plummer, elevate a semiautobiographical screenplay by director Shana Feste (Country Strong) that otherwise feels more contrived than cathartic. The mildly amusing film ultimately relies too heavily on forced eccentricities — Laura is obsessed with rescuing animals — and constant bickering. (Rated R, 103 minutes).
Damsel
Fans of traditional Westerns might circle the wagons against this subversive frontier survival story from sibling filmmakers David and Nathan Zellner (Kumiko the Treasure Hunter). It’s essentially a romantic comedy about a dimwitted gunslinger (Robert Pattinson) who navigates danger alongside his miniature horse while finding a woman (Mia Wasikowska) he hopes to marry. The film pokes fun at Western stereotypes and Old West gender politics with varying degrees of subtlety. Yet the leisurely paced result is more talk than action that struggles to find a consistent tone. Despite some spirited performances, the film overdoses on quirks and lacks sufficient character depth to warrant much emotional investment. (Rated R, 113 minutes).
Distorted
Christina Ricci’s committed portrayal can’t rescue this lackluster low-budget thriller that positions itself as a cautionary tale regarding technology and the pharmaceutical industry yet doesn’t provide any meaningful insight. Ricci plays a mentally disturbed woman who moves with her husband (Brendan Fletcher) into a luxury apartment with smart-home amenities. After suffering through paranoid hallucinations, she suspects her mind is being subliminally influenced and desperately calls upon a conspiracy theorist (John Cusack) for help. While the premise is mildly intriguing, the film’s reliance on visual gimmickry never serves to establish consistent suspense before the whole thing runs off the rails in the incoherent final act. (Rated R, 86 minutes).
The King
The concept outweighs the execution in this muddled documentary from director Eugene Jarecki (The Trials of Henry Kissinger), which mashes up some ambitious ideas in a strained attempt to be profound. The filmmaker chronicles his cross-country road trip in Elvis Presley’s 1963 Rolls Royce, visiting landmarks that defined Elvis’ career while talking to famous backseat passengers who share memories and play impromptu songs. Jarecki adds political commentary by trying to draw parallels between Elvis’ tragic career arc and the steady decline of the country, set against the divisive backdrop of the 2016 presidential election. The result is a sometimes fun, occasionally provocative, and mostly disjointed mess. (Rated R, 107 minutes).
Spiral
A topical subject alone does not ensure an impactful documentary, as exemplified by this disjointed look at the unfortunate rise of anti-Semitism in contemporary France. As the film explains, such behavior is the byproduct the divided sociopolitical landscape throughout Europe and the Middle East that has become especially volatile in the past decade or so. We’re introduced to victims of verbal and physical attacks whose anecdotes are harrowing and heartbreaking. However, while it captures sentiments on both sides of this disturbing trend — inviting you to draw your own parallels across the pond — the film lacks broader depth and context to raise the emotional stakes. (Not rated, 79 minutes).