Capsule reviews for May 31

Domino

Venerable filmmaker Brian DePalma tries to turn lemons into lemonade, as they say, but his stylish touches only mildly elevate a threadbare thriller about contemporary terrorism. It’s set in Europe, where a disgraced Danish cop (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) tries to avenge his guilt over a colleague’s serious injury — caused by his own negligence — by diving into a case involving an ISIS sympathizer (Eriq Ebanouey) with connections to a high-profile and high-tech jihad. Rather than using such tools to explore new ground, however, the incoherent film is structured like a standard-issue procedural. Despite some intermittent excitement, it never generates consistent suspense and the international intrigue rarely yields surprises. (Rated R, 89 minutes).

The Fall of the American Empire

Starting with the title, clever bits of misdirection abound in this latest anti-capitalist drama from French-Canadian filmmaker Denys Arcand (The Barbarian Invasions). It starts as a lighthearted crime thriller about a robbery gone wrong, after which philosophical Montreal delivery driver Pierre-Paul (Alexandre Landry) winds up with two duffel bags filled with cash. As authorities begin poking around and gang members seek revenge, Pierre-Paul convinces an escort (Maripeier Morin) of his magnanimous intentions while partnering with an ex-con (Remy Girard) to launder the money to offshore accounts. All the while, Arcand’s incisive examination of socioeconomic injustice uses humor to overcome clichés and avoid turning heavy-handed. (Rated R, 127 minutes).

Pasolini

Practically a love letter from one iconoclastic filmmaker to another, this portrait of the final days of Italian provocateur Pier Paolo Pasolini (Salo) from American indie stalwart Abel Ferrara (Bad Lieutenant) nevertheless is a muddled glimpse into the artistic process. The film focuses on Pasolini (Willem Dafoe) during the early 1970s, as he cynically dismisses the artistic landscape during an interview, strategizes the next moves for his controversial career, and cruises for male prostitutes before meeting a mysterious death. Dafoe captures the deeply troubled spirit of his subject, although overall the fragmented film feels more pretentious than enlightening, especially for cinephiles already familiar with its subject. (Not rated, 84 minutes).