Capsule reviews for Jan. 21
Abigail Cowen and Tom Lewis star in REDEEMING LOVE. (Photo: Universal Pictures)
Compartment No. 6
With its fresh perspective on familiar themes of self-discovery and human connection, the physical and psychological treks in this deliberately paced drama are more compelling in the journey than the destination. It centers on Laura (Seidi Haarla), a Finnish student studying in Moscow, where her affinity for archaeology prompts a solo vacation to the remote Siberian village of Murmansk. The lengthy train ride sequesters her with fellow passengers including a boorish Russian miner (Yuriy Borisov) whose antics provide a source of fascination and unlikely revelation. Finnish filmmaker Juho Kuosmanen stylishly extracts some intriguing dynamics from a diverse batch of characters, even if the ambiguous ending perplexes. (Rated R, 107 minutes).
Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom
Charming and cheesy almost in equal measure, this Bhutanese crowd-pleaser conveys emotional depth while providing a compassionate glimpse into a culture rarely seen on film. Shot on location in the Himalayan country, it chronicles an urban schoolteacher (Sherab Dorji) whose dream of a singing career in Australia seems doomed when he’s sent to oversee a classroom in a remote village virtually inaccessible to the outside world. As he laments his personal struggles, he finds inspiration in his new students and their resilience. Although the drama’s relentless optimism feels forced, rookie director Pawo Choyning Dorji effectively showcases both the internal and external beauty of his homeland. (Not rated, 109 minutes).
Redeeming Love
An evocative visual re-creation of Gold Rush-era California provides window dressing for an otherwise predictable and melodramatic faith-based romance based on the novel by Francine Rivers. It follows Angel (Abigail Cowen), who was sold into prostitution as a teenager. Her resulting distrust of men is tested by Michael (Tom Lewis), a modest farmer who is smitten by Angel upon first meeting her and becomes determined to marry her and give her the chance to escape her past. Various obstacles ensue, but nothing that the screenplay by director D.J. Caruso (Disturbia) can’t fix with a few sweet-nothings or spiritual chestnuts. Any good intentions drown in emotional manipulation. (Rated PG-13, 134 minutes).
A Shot Through the Wall
Providing a fresh perspective on a hot-button topic, this earnest yet provocative low-budget drama about the aftermath of a police-involved shooting benefits from some intriguing character dynamics and a deeply felt performance by Kenny Leu (Midway). He plays a mild-mannered Brooklyn cop from a strict Chinese American family who fires accidentally during a police chase, killing an unarmed Black man. From there, he’s indicted and subject to a media circus as his personal life crumbles around him, burdened with guilt and remorse while insisting he’s innocent. Despite some melodramatic contrivances, the screenplay by rookie director Aimee Long effectively heightens the emotional stakes without turning heavy-handed. (Not rated, 90 minutes).
The Tiger Rising
The wholesome intentions and modest charms in this drama promoting childhood innocence and self-esteem are overwhelmed by heavy-handed sentimentality. Rob (Christian Convery) is a preteen artist dealing with a skin condition that makes him a target for bullying as he grieves his mother’s recent death. Living in a motel with his father (Sam Trammell), Rob befriends fellow outsider Sistine (Madalen Mills), and they discover a caged tiger in the nearby woods that they ponder freeing — both literally and symbolically. The expressive performances can’t push this adaptation of the Kate DiCamillo novel past its melodramatic trappings. The supporting cast includes Queen Latifah and Dennis Quaid. (Rated PG, 102 minutes).
Warhunt
Revising history with minimal coherence or inventiveness, this World War II thriller is a lackluster genre hybrid that shortchanges both the suspense and the scares. It’s set in 1945, chronicling the aftermath of an American cargo plane crash in the woods. An irascible major (Mickey Rourke) dispatches a sergeant (Robert Knepper) and his squad to retrieve the secrets from the wreckage before they fall into Nazi hands. But once they arrive, the soldiers must fight for survival against a different enemy. Any intrigue provided by the true-life historical backdrop is squandered in favor of thinly sketched characters and a final act overloaded with supernatural nonsense. (Rated R, 96 minutes).