Capsule reviews for Nov. 22

Age Out

Terrence Malick’s influence is evident in this elliptical character study directed by his protégé, A.J. Edwards (The Better Angels). Taking place in Texas, it chronicles Richie (Tye Sheridan), a former juvenile delinquent struggling to begin life on his own at age 18. He works a series of odd jobs and crosses paths with an alluring but emotionally vulnerable girl (Imogen Poots) and with a loose-cannon petty thief (Caleb Landry Jones). Emphasizing atmosphere over plot, Edwards shows a keen eye for framing and camera movement, and captures some powerful imagery. Meanwhile, Sheridan (Ready Player One) brings sympathy to his performance as a teenager trying to start over. (Rated PG-13, 95 minutes).

The Courier

Slumming it as the villain in this preposterous thriller, Gary Oldman sports an eye patch, snarls deliriously, and spouts faux Joe Biden quotes. He refuses to take this mess seriously, but his co-stars aren’t as fortunate. They’re saddled with derivative dialogue and hackneyed high-tech action sequences that will inspire more chuckles than chills, despite some would-be intrigue surrounding a motorcycle courier (Olga Kurylenko) with a mysterious past who discovers that she’s been hired to deliver a bomb to a witness (Amit Shah) in the upcoming trial for a crime boss (Oldman). Using her brains and brawn, they fight for survival while the FBI closes in. (Rated R, 98 minutes).

Hala

Despite some contrivances on the surface, this coming-of-age drama offers a tender and heartfelt examination of shifting gender roles and rigid cultural traditions as seen through the eyes of a precocious Muslim teenager (Geraldine Viswanathan). When she secretly falls for a skateboarder (Jack Kilmer) at her suburban high school, it causes a rift with her Pakistani father (Azad Khan) that escalates and prompts her to question her beliefs. The sharply observed screenplay by director Minhal Baig, based on her short film, benefits from intriguing character dynamics and a measured look at a clash between patriarchal customs and progressive feminism. The result is predictable but sincere. (Rated R, 94 minutes).

Mickey and the Bear

A captivating performance by Camila Morrone (Never Goin Back) elevates this perceptive debut from director Annabelle Attanasio above the usual gritty coming-of-age fare. Morrone plays the title role, as a Montana teenager forced to abandon her own dreams to essentially become a caretaker for her drug-addicted father (James Badge Dale), an Iraq war vet subject to hallucinations and disengagement from reality. Those responsibilities draw Mickey into potentially troubling relationships of her own. Although it traverses familiar thematic territory and occasionally loses its narrative focus, Attanasio’s screenplay provides an authentically textured glimpse at family dynamics and emotional vulnerability, offering a glimmer of hope amid the heartbreak. (Rated R, 88 minutes).

Shooting the Mafia

Perhaps nobody has been so close to the Italian Mafia, and lived to tell about it, as long as Letizia Battaglia, the subject of this intriguing if muddled documentary. Now in her 80s, Battaglia is a Sicilian photographer who has witnessed through her lens the horrific actions of the Cosa Nostra crime syndicate for more than four decades. The film works best as a pictorial history of the Mafia through Battaglia’s work, with shocking and insightful imagery conveying a persuasive anti-violence message. It’s less effective while probing Battaglia’s often turbulent personal life, with efforts to frame her as a courageous artist compromising a more nuanced portrait. (Not rated, 94 minutes).

When Lambs Become Lions

Despite new anti-poaching initiatives, animal-rights activism in Africa still has a long way to go, if this sobering documentary paints an accurate picture. Shot in Kenya, it’s an immersive glimpse into the lives of two cousins — one is an ivory dealer, and the other a wildlife ranger — who are each struggling to make a living, and being forced to make desperate choices with significant legal and ethical ramifications for themselves and the endangered elephants. The even-handed film doesn’t pass judgment, instead illustrating its dilemmas with an observational storytelling style. Despite some apparent embellishments, it’s a powerfully humane look at an ecological problem without easy solutions. (Not rated, 76 minutes).