Capsule reviews for April 16

Bill Traylor: Chasing Ghosts

There’s a thrilling sense of discovery that accompanies the biographical details in this insightful documentary, which shines a deserving spotlight on an obscure artist. Traylor was born into slavery in Alabama in the mid-19th century, then earned a modest living as a sharecropper before enduring tragedy and homelessness in his later years. Along the way, he produced thousands of rudimentary paintings and sketches that — whether intentionally or not — provide a vivid visual chronicle of decades of working-class Black life in the south. The well-researched film is uneven in its approach, but makes a persuasive case for Traylor’s talent and the value of his artistic legacy. (Not rated, 75 minutes).

Monday

The two lead actors share almost every frame, yet their committed performances and convincing chemistry can’t carry this otherwise meandering romantic drama. It tracks the whirlwind impulses that drive a summer fling between two Americans in Athens — a deejay (Sebastian Stan) and a lawyer (Denise Gough) — whose instant attraction sparks a series of carnal encounters over several weekends. But as their relationship deepens, roadblocks emerge that cause them both to question whether it will last. Despite the picturesque visuals and an intoxicating exuberance to some of the party sequences, the English-language debut of director Argyris Papadimitropoulos (Suntan) doesn’t add up to much in the end. (Rated R, 116 minutes).

We Broke Up

The performers are more engaging than the screenplay in this thinly sketched romantic comedy about — as the title suggests — a relationship in limbo. Lori (Aya Cash) and Doug (William Jackson Harper) break up days before Lori’s younger sister (Sarah Bolger) is getting married. They decide to travel to the wedding anyway, attempting to conceal their animosity for the sake of the family. But as the bickering gives way to intimacy, are there still sparks? Despite some scattered big laughs, the film’s contrivances and exaggerations make their predicament feel detached from reality. When things turn serious, there’s not much incentive to care whether they stay together. (Not rated, 80 minutes).