Capsule reviews for Sept. 11

Buoyancy

Familiar coming-of-age themes feel urgent and relevant thanks to the fresh cultural perspective of this powerful Cambodian thriller. It follows Chakra (Sarm Heng), a timid 14-year-old with dreams of leaving his village for a lucrative job in neighboring Thailand. But he’s abducted and sold into slavery on a fishing trawler, where constant abuse from a ruthless captain (Thanawut Ketsaro) forces him to develop survival instincts to gain revenge. The screenplay by rookie director Rodd Rathjen provides insight into a tragic true-life issue plaguing the Asian seas while benefiting from an expressive portrayal by acting newcomer Heng. Vivid and suspenseful, the immersive film resonates with authenticity. (Not rated, 92 minutes).

Eternal Beauty

A committed performance by Sally Hawkins (The Shape of Water) drives this well-intentioned British drama about mental illness, even if the ambition outweighs the execution. Hawkins plays Jane, a middle-aged woman whose debilitating paranoid schizophrenia and dependence on pills has caused her family to distance themselves from her erratic behavior. She finds temporary stability in a relationship with an eccentric musician (David Thewlis) before more setbacks sent her down another spiral of depression. To its credit, the sympathetic script by director Craig Roberts (Just Jim) avoids pandering or trivializing Jane’s affliction, although it struggles to modulate the tonal shifts between quirky comedy and earnest sentiment. (Rated R, 95 minutes).

From the Vine

Joe Pantoliano balances charisma and charm in a welcome starring role in this innocuous comedy about starting over and rediscovering your roots. Pantoliano (Bad Boys) plays Mark, a burned-out auto executive who quits his job and buys an open-ended ticket to Italy, leaving his frustrated wife (Wendy Crewson) and adult daughter (Paula Brancati) behind. Mark returns to the small town where he grew up decades earlier, reconnecting with old acquaintances and deciding to reopen his late father’s vineyard to stimulate the local economy. It makes for a gorgeous travelogue, and the quirky characters are mildly amusing, although there’s not much narrative substance behind the bilingual whimsy. (Not rated, 97 minutes).

The Grizzlies

Its intentions are pure, but this crowd-pleasing Canadian sports drama can’t muster a winning formula amid some overly familiar tropes. It takes place in an arctic village in Nunavut, where socioeconomic despair lingers and teenage suicide rates are high. That reality soon hits the idealistic new history teacher (Ben Schnetzer), who instead tries to reverse the town’s fortunes by starting a youth lacrosse program. Based on an inspiring true story from 2005, the film captures its setting and the hardscrabble group of ragtag teenagers is endearing. However, this embellished underdog story too often glosses over harsh realities in favor of clichés that leave you cold. (Rated R, 106 minutes).

I Am Woman

Strong but not invincible, this uneven biopic of feminist crooner Helen Reddy capably shines a deserving spotlight on the woman behind the titular anthem for female empowerment. In many ways, it follows a standard rags-to-riches trajectory as Helen (Tilda Cobham-Hervey) arrives in New York as a single mother chasing a dream. After a slew of rejections, she marries a fledgling manager (Evan Peters) who believes in her, and becomes enamored with the women’s liberation movement. The powerful connections between her music and the burgeoning cause help the film resonate beneath its formulaic surface. The script could use a tighter focus, but Reddy’s music makes it sing. (Not rated, 116 minutes).

Jimmy Carter: Rock & Roll President

By mostly avoiding partisan politics, this documentary portrait of the 39th president finds its rhythm. As the title suggests, it explores Carter’s affinity for music — many genres, not just rock — and its influence on him from childhood to the campaign trail to the White House. The interviewees include some of his favorites, such as Bob Dylan, Willie Nelson, and Jimmy Buffett, who supported him along the way. Carter appears, too, exuding his usual Southern charm in a film that occasionally loses focus but remains an intriguing look at the intersection of art and politics that has endured, for better or worse, since his administration. (Not rated, 96 minutes).

Rent-A-Pal

More unsettling than frightening, this low-budget oddity can’t sustain its clever nostalgic concept at feature length. It pokes fun at online matchmaking by setting its story in 1990, when a desperate middle-aged loner (Brian Landis Folkins) lives in his ailing mother’s basement while serving as her caretaker. Desperate for companionship, he tries a video dating service but instead discovers a VHS tape claiming to provide a friend (Wil Wheaton) who provides reassurance during tough times. But eventually, their partnership goes awry in strange ways. So does the film, which assembles some amusing throwback visuals but lacks the necessary satirical edge, settling for genre conventions instead. (Not rated, 108 minutes).

Sibyl

The buildup is greater than the payoff in this comic thriller that rarely finds new ground in its exploration of obsession and addiction. Sibyl (Virginie Efira) is a Parisian therapist wanting to shift gears and become an author, only to be lured into the life of a troubled actress (Adele Exarchopoulos) struggling with a demanding co-star (Gaspard Ulliel). Meanwhile, as she helps others, Sibyl’s own life begins to fall apart. As it reveals darker layers beneath the almost farcical surface, the mildly compelling film establishes some intriguing character dynamics. Yet the attempt to transition into a psychological thriller in the second half doesn’t generate much tension. (Not rated, 101 minutes).

Unpregnant

There’s a thoughtful poignancy at the heart of this mildly amusing road-trip comedy from director Rachel Lee Goldenberg (Valley Girl), but you have to dig through so many contrivances and coming-of-age exaggerations to get there. After a positive pregnancy test threatens her Ivy League future, Missouri teenager Veronica (Haley Lu Richardson) decides to get an abortion. But to keep it from her parents, she needs to travel to a clinic 1,000 miles away. So she recruits her free-spirited childhood friend (Barbie Ferreira) for a misadventure that encapsulates the transition from childhood to adulthood. Some charming performances can’t offset the overreliance on quirks and goofy narrative detours. (Rated PG-13, 103 minutes).