Capsule reviews for July 5

The Chambermaid

The title character is humble and unassuming, just like this low-budget Mexican drama that nevertheless has plenty to say beneath the surface. Eve (Gabriela Cartol) is a housekeeper at a posh hotel in Mexico City, working in a socioeconomic realm completely different from the one she endures at home. The film explores that contrast, as she maintains a quiet dignity despite facing some injustices on the job, while seeking reconciliation within her fractured family. Rookie director Lila Aviles keeps the story contained to its single setting, with Eve’s interactions driving the no-frills narrative. Thanks to the expressive Cartol, the result is deliberately paced yet quietly powerful. (Not rated, 102 minutes).

Cold Blood

Its rugged wintry landscape adds a level of tension that this formulaic revenge thriller can’t exploit. Near the Canadian border in Washington state, an aging assassin (Jean Reno, of course) lives in an isolated cabin. When a snowmobile crashes nearby, he nurses the driver (Sarah Lind) back to health, unaware of her intentions for the visit. Their cat-and-mouse coincides with an investigation by local authorities into a violent murder. The stylish low-budget effort captures the visual details of everyday life in such a harsh environment, yet has difficulty maintaining suspense with its chilly narrative momentum and a procedural plot driven by far-fetched coincidences. (Not rated, 91 minutes).

Marianne and Leonard: Words of Love

The latest documentary about a turbulent music industry romance from director Nick Broomfield (Kurt and Courtney) revisits the life of Canadian folk singer Leonard Cohen, and specifically his relationship to his longtime Norwegian muse, Marianne Ihlen. It tracks Cohen’s career as an influential figure in the counterculture movement of the late 1960s, his womanizing and eccentric behavior, and his artistic process. Marianne’s equal billing in the title seems more a result of her personal friendship with Broomfield more than anything. Yet the uneven film provides more than just a career retrospective by tapping into how love can be a calming influence amid the pitfalls of fame. (Rated R, 97 minutes).

My Days of Mercy

Mixing a death-penalty melodrama and a lesbian romance isn’t as awkward as it might seem, thanks mostly to two committed performances and an avoidance of heavy-handed contrivances. Lucy (Ellen Page) is an activist who travels the country with her older sister (Amy Seimetz) protesting capital punishment, as they look for a way to exonerate their own father who’s on Death Row. At one such gathering, she meets Mercy (Kate Mara), whose father is a cop mourning his partner’s death. Despite the ideological differences, their relationship deepens and becomes more complex. Although it’s never as provocative as it wishes, the film’s intriguing character dynamics add emotional resonance. (Rated R, 108 minutes).

Phil

The toothless directorial debut of actor Greg Kinnear is more a product of the script than his own work on either side of the camera. Kinnear plays the title role, a suburban dentist who becomes obsessed with the suicide of one of his patients (Bradley Whitford), a successful author whose life seems idyllic on the surface. To resolve his own midlife crisis, Phil befriends the widow (Emily Mortimer) and the family under false pretenses, looking for answers. The film manages some moments of emotional honesty about starting over, although it sidesteps the creepy nature of Phil’s scheme, preferring to pass off his actions as quirky charm. (Rated R, 101 minutes).