Capsule reviews for Oct. 25

Black and Blue

The lingering distrust between cops and low-income residents of post-Katrina New Orleans lends a provocative backdrop to this otherwise muddled thriller from director Deon Taylor (The Intruder). It follows an idealistic rookie officer (Naomie Harris) who already deals with trust and respect issues based on race and gender. But after she captures an egregiously corrupt act by her colleagues on body cam, she becomes a target for revenge within her own ranks. Only a store clerk (Tyrese Gibson) reluctantly offers to help. The film generates some moderate suspense as a cat-and-mouse thriller, although any deeper exploration of socioeconomic inequality and racial profiling feels exaggerated and heavy-handed. (Rated R, 108 minutes).

By the Grace of God

Both a compelling character study and a timely call to action, this thoughtful drama from prolific French director Francois Ozon (Swimming Pool) never turns preachy to make its point. Inspired by true events, the story follows three men (Melvil Poupaud, Denis Menochet and Swann Arlaud) still haunted by memories of being abused by a priest as children. Together, they become empowered to seek justice by legal means. During their resulting investigation, Ozon’s deliberately paced screenplay occasionally bogs down in extraneous details, although the broader sense of moral outrage still carries a universal resonance. The performances convey a quiet yet determined dignity for these and other victims. (Not rated, 137 minutes).

The Cat and the Moon

Ambitious but unfocused, this filmmaking debut for 21-year-old actor Alex Wolff (Hereditary) shows promise despite its self-indulgent tendencies. Wolff plays Nick, a troubled teenager who arrives in New York to live with a musician (Mike Epps) who was a collaborator with his late father, whose death Nick still hasn’t gotten past. He escapes from his misery by getting high and integrating into the party scene at his new school, before unresolved issues come to the fore. Wolff succeeds more as an actor here than as a writer or director. The film misfires as a character study about fractured families by detouring into clichéd coming-of-age tangents. (Not rated, 114 minutes).

Farming

When children don’t feel loved, will they gravitate toward hate? That’s the case with the teenage protagonist in this well-intentioned autobiographical directorial debut of character actor Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje. Enitan (Damson Idris) was born in Nigeria but raised since infancy by a London foster mother (Kate Beckinsale) who’s only in it for the money. When the soft-spoken Enitan begins rebelling, he joins a gang of white-supremacist skinheads in a desperate plea for acceptance. The immigration themes resonate across cultural and geographic boundaries. However, the historical context is more intriguing than the specifics of this harrowing and provocative story, which lacks sufficient character depth and narrative texture. (Rated R, 107 minutes).

Frankie

The scenery is more compelling than the screenplay in this muddled ensemble drama from director Ira Sachs (Love Is Strange). It revolves around the title character (Isabelle Huppert), an aging French actress who gathers family and friends in a seaside Portuguese village for a life-changing announcement. But the visit reignites past friction between some guests, while others pursue new romantic paths. The deliberately paced effort benefits from a top-notch cast including Brendan Gleeson, Marisa Tomei, and Jeremie Renier. However, while Sachs uses his Euro art-house influences to generate some intriguing character dynamics, too much of the film feels aimless and inconsequential. Huppert is great, as always. (Rated PG-13, 98 minutes).

The Kill Team

Committed performances bolster this latest examination of the psychological effects of war, which is more admirable for its intentions than its execution. Taking place along the front lines in Afghanistan, it follows an Army soldier (Nat Wolff) who finds his ethics tested when his platoon’s new sergeant (Alexander Skarsgard) takes a nonchalant approach to killing innocent civilians. The screenplay by director Dan Krauss, based on the true story highlighted in his 2013 documentary of the same name, conveys a certain heartfelt authenticity in depicting everyday interaction among the troops. Yet the film’s idealism tends to obscure the moral complexity at the center of its story. (Rated R, 87 minutes).

Making Waves: The Art of Cinematic Sound

We’ve come a long way from the silent-film era, as demonstrated by this compelling documentary tribute to the importance of sound design. Just check out the legendary filmmaker — Spielberg, Lucas, Redford, Christopher Nolan, and more — who are among those interviewed by rookie director Midge Costin, herself a longtime sound editor. As its title suggests, the film traces the history and evolution of movie sound while going behind the scenes to break down some famous sequences from a new perspective. The result will be fascinating for film buffs interested in the technical side, while casual fans can gain appreciation for an obscure but valuable art form. (Not rated, 94 minutes).

Paradise Hills

Beneath some sumptuous retro-futuristic visuals, there’s not much substance to this high-camp satirical fantasy that plays like a quasi-feminist cross between Alice in Wonderland and The Hunger Games. It’s set during a period of severe socioeconomic class distinction at a reform school for rebellious teenage girls, where Uma (Emma Roberts) and her fellow inmates are held against their will by the overbearing Duchess (Milla Jovovich) and her handlers. The committed cast at least seems to enjoy the colorful sets and costumes. However, there’s not much incentive for emotional investment in these shallow characters, for whom the cartoonish misadventures don’t seem particularly empowering, if that’s the intention. (Not rated, 95 minutes).

Serendipity

Both a documentary and a visual essay, this cinematic self-portrait by French sculptor and performance artist Prune Nourry likely won’t resonate with viewers as deeply as with its subject. The film chronicles Nourry’s treatment for breast cancer, specifically a mastectomy, which prompts her to reexamine her earlier work concerning fertility and the female body. Nourry probes her own artistic process as she prepares for a large-scale installation, taking an intensely personal journey through her career from a new perspective. Although such an audacious effort is admirable, the connections remain elusive. At least there’s a delightful cameo by late filmmaker Agnes Varda to lighten the mood. (Not rated, 74 minutes).

Synonyms

There’s something both familiar and fresh about this lightly fictionalized drama from Israeli director Nadav Lapid (The Kindergarten Teacher), which chronicles the filmmaker’s true-life efforts to pursue a fresh start as an expatriate in Paris. An ex-soldier in his 20s, Noav (newcomer Tom Mercier) struggles to find suitable living arrangements, avoid thieves, and adjust to the culture. But he falls in love with the language, which becomes his primary vessel for turning the page and pursuing his artistic ambitions, until he’s forced to confront past demons. Even as it meanders in the second half, Lapid’s sociopolitical satire evolves into a fascinating study of culture and identity. (Not rated, 123 minutes).