Capsule reviews for June 29

Dark River

Richly textured characters and evocative rural landscapes elevate this melancholy drama from British director Clio Barnard (The Selfish Giant). It’s highlighted by a terrific performance by Ruth Wilson (TV’s “The Affair”), who uses body language and facial expressions, with sparse dialogue, to convey the inner demons of a Yorkshire sheepherder still haunted by memories of childhood abuse. After her father’s death, she’s forced to confront her past when she battles with her estranged brother (Mark Stanley) over control of the family farm. The film is deliberately paced but quietly powerful, generally sidestepping clichés in its incisive examination of how lingering trauma keeps families divided. (Not rated, 89 minutes).

Ideal Home

The appealing odd-couple chemistry of Steve Coogan and Paul Rudd boosts this otherwise mundane if heartfelt comedy from director Andrew Fleming (Nancy Drew). It takes place in New Mexico, where Erasmus (Coogan) and Paul (Rudd) are a bickering gay couple who host a successful cooking show. When a taciturn 10-year-old (Jack Gore) shows up claiming to be Erasmus’ grandson, their relationship and livelihood are tested. Fleming’s script manages some big laughs and deserves credit for its nonchalant attitude toward gay parenting. However, the film struggles to balance its broad comedy with its more sentimental tendencies, and the result is more progressive in attitude than execution. (Rated R, 91 minutes).

Leave No Trace

The latest compassionate look at marginalized outsiders in the Pacific Northwest from director Debra Granik (Winter’s Bone) is slow yet affecting. It follows a war veteran (Ben Foster) with lingering PTSD who lives off the grid in the Oregon woods with his teenage daughter (Thomasin McKenzie). Their close bond is threatened both by circumstances parallel to their surroundings and by the girl’s subtle desire to break free from their cloistered routine. With understated portrayals by both leads and a meticulous attention to detail, the film is both tender and evocative. Granik prefers to observe rather than judge her characters, yielding a vivid low-key authenticity. (Rated PG, 109 minutes).

Three Identical Strangers

Life is indeed stranger than fiction, as they say, in this riveting documentary about New York triplets who were separated at birth in 1961, only to find one another accidentally 19 years later and renew a bond they never knew they had. The uplifting story caused a media sensation at the time, but as British director Tim Wardle reveals, it led to a tragic downside for all involved. As the siblings reflect on their loss of childhood innocence and uncover dark secrets about their past, the film examines issues such as adoption, parenting, brotherhood, mental illness, psychology, and the ultimate study of nature versus nurture. (Rated PG-13, 96 minutes).

Woman Walks Ahead

Jessica Chastain effectively portrays another strong-willed woman fighting injustice in this otherwise ponderous period drama from director Susanna White (Our Kind of Traitor). It’s based on the true story of Catherine Weldon, a New York painter who traveled to the plains in 1890, hoping for a portrait of legendary Lakota chief Sitting Bull (Michael Greyeyes). But despite warnings from an army colonel (Sam Rockwell), she becomes embroiled in a conflict between the tribe and the American government that ultimately led to the brutal battle at Wounded Knee. The bleak yet stylish film emphasizes melodrama while shortchanging historical context and meaningful insight to supplement its intriguing backdrop. (Rated R, 101 minutes).