Capsule reviews for Oct. 11

Gift

It’s difficult to criticize any endeavor that so openly promotes kindness and generosity, such as this documentary with a simple yet progressive message. It explores the philosophy of creative-based giving through various stories from around the globe — including an Italian “inhabited museum” that’s home to migrant families and an Asian artist with unique methods of paying it forward. Some segments are more compelling and inspiring than others, and even though too easily adopts as gospel the Lewis Hyde book that inspired it, director Robin McKenna assembles some powerful contemporary examples of everyday philanthropy as a vehicle for breaking down socioeconomic barriers and connecting us all. (Not rated, 90 minutes).

Jexi

Feel free to swipe left on this thinly sketched comedy that delivers a predictable barrage of gross-out gags and raunchy slapstick. It follows a San Francisco loner (Adam Devine) whose smartphone is the only solace from his social isolation. His new device includes a virtual assistant whose interaction is more rude and condescending than helpful, also impeding his romantic chances with a bike-shop owner (Alexandra Shipp). The screenplay generates some scattered big laughs but otherwise struggles to extend its one-joke premise to feature length. The characters are devoid of any wit or charm, and its half-hearted attempt to satirize our interaction with modern technology malfunctions. (Rated R, 84 minutes).

Lucky Day

Some self-indulgent stylistic flourishes can’t enliven this generic mobster comedy with a high body count from director Roger Avary, who’s still spinning his wheels from his days as a Pulp Fiction collaborator. It chronicles a safecracker (Luke Bracey) just released from prison and looking to settle down with his wife (Nina Dobrev) and young daughter. But he can’t escape his past when a ruthless hitman (Crispin Glover) arrives to avenge past grudges. The film favors long scenes that play to Avary’s dialogue-driven strengths. However, his script is mostly an incoherent mess of testosterone-fueled clichés and disparate comic tones as it stumbles toward a predictable final showdown. (Rated R, 99 minutes).

Mary

The clichés for haunted boat movies aren’t that much different from those in haunted house movies, judging from this lackluster entry that squanders a strong cast. Dave (Gary Oldman) is a Florida fishing guide who spends his savings on the used boat of his dreams. However, during the maiden voyage with his wife (Emily Mortimer) and children, the family is confronted by hallucinations, evil spirits, and other arbitrary supernatural nonsense. By the time Dave discovers the vessel’s troubled history, it’s too late to turn back. The film generates some mild tension, but Oldman’s change-of-pace performance can’t keep afloat a screenplay that’s all setup with no payoff. (Rated R, 84 minutes).

Parasite

Expertly blending elements of broad farce, searing social drama and dark psychological thriller, the latest from Korean filmmaker Bong Joon-ho (Snowpiercer) certainly keeps you guessing. It follows an unemployed family of four, struggling to make ends meet, that stumbles into a potentially lucrative opportunity. One by one, they scheme to replace the domestic staff at a posh mansion without the homeowners ever finding out. Then the plan backfires in outrageous fashion. Between its richly textured visual style and its clever narrative twists, the film keeps escalating the suspense while a subtle commentary on socioeconomic class simmers beneath the surface. Both shocking and moving, it’s a stunner. (Rated R, 132 minutes).

Where’s My Roy Cohn?

That rhetorical question will be of interest only to the target demographic of a documentary that wears its political persuasion on its proverbial sleeve. Still, director Matt Tyrnauer (Valentino: The Last Emperor) assembles a fascinating glimpse into the life and influence of Cohn, a disgraced lawyer who was a controversial fixer for decades of conservative demagogues from Joseph McCarthy to a young Donald Trump. Although it lacks structural imagination, the film succeeds by digging deeper into Cohn’s personal life and his public image, showing how a shadowy figure like Cohn gains influence and wields power behind the scenes, and persuasively connects his legacy to present-day affairs. (Rated PG-13, 97 minutes).