Capsule reviews for April 5

The Beast

Amid its sweeping visual flourishes and ambitious narrative conceits, the central performances bring emotional grounding to this thrilling yet unsettling science-fiction epic from French director Bertrand Bonello (Saint Laurent). It tracks the love story of Gabrielle (Lea Seydoux) and Louis (George MacKay) in three different settings — spanning past, present, and future — as they assume different roles in a complex society that repeatedly brings them together and threatens to tear them apart. The disjointed nature of the storytelling creates an emotional disconnect, although Bonello’s bilingual screenplay — inspired by a Henry James novella — cleverly connects some audacious dystopian ideas about where we’ve been and where we’re going. (Not rated, 146 minutes).

A Bit of Light

Narrative contrivances undermine the heartfelt intentions in this sentimental British drama from director Stephen Moyer (The Parting Glass) providing a slight twist on a familiar exploration of addiction and recovery, fractured family dynamics, and parental responsibility. Ella (Anna Paquin) is struggling with sobriety and living with her father (Ray Winstone) while trying to regain custody of her two children. Meanwhile, she taps her maternal instincts while befriending a precocious yet mysterious teenage boy (Luca Hogan) who becomes her guardian angel along her road to redemption. That injects an awkward element of magical realism into a story that never fully rings true, despite Paquin’s deeply felt performance. (Not rated, 98 minutes).

Coup de Chance

The setting — and the language — might be different, but legendary director Woody Allen’s 50th feature explores familiar themes of obsession, infidelity, betrayal, and revenge among the affluent, set to a vibrant jazzy score. Still, this breezy drama is a delightfully twisty rumination on luck’s role in relationships. It follows a Parisian art curator (Lou de Laage) who has an affair with a charming ex-classmate (Niels Schneider) she meets by chance. Her wealthy older husband (Melvil Poupaud) becomes suspicious and schemes to preserve his marriage by any means necessary. Allen’s playful screenplay features witty dialogue and amusing characters without adding up to much in the end. (Rated PG-13, 96 minutes).

The Greatest Hits

With a sappy beat accompanying a familiar rhythm, this bittersweet music-infused romance is overloaded with cutesy contrivances as it explores fate, grief, memory, and redemption. Two years after her boyfriend’s death in a car accident, Harriet (Lucy Boynton) is still heartbroken. Certain songs trigger an ability to travel back in time to happier days, and moving on is difficult until she meets a guy (Justin Min) in her support group with a unique secret and perhaps the key to a happier future. Trying to figure out the plot mechanics in the screenplay by director Ned Benson (The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby) inhibits a deeper emotional connection. (Rated PG-13, 94 minutes).

Housekeeping for Beginners

A quietly perceptive examination of progressive family dynamics, this naturalistic drama from North Macedonian filmmaker Goran Stolevski (Of an Age) finds hard-earned compassion in characters who are rough around the edges. Dita (Anamaria Marinca) shares a house on the outskirts of the city with her partner (Alina Serban) and two mischievous daughters, as well as a gay mutual friend (Vladimir Tintor). Their already uneasy bond as a multicultural surrogate family is tested by tragic circumstances. Although it remains grounded while confronting real-world prejudices, Stolevski’s screenplay is less interested in preaching about acceptance as in presenting flawed yet fascinating characters dealing with relatable issues that resonate. (Rated R, 107 minutes).

Musica

Puppeteer and content creator Rudy Mancuso showcases his charm and charisma in his directorial debut, a lightly fictionalized romantic farce that lacks substance alongside its persistent whimsy. Both on screen and off, Mancuso deals with the sensory condition known as synesthesia, which provides a backdrop for his relationship struggles. He’s torn between Haley (Francesca Reale) and Isabella (real-life partner Camila Mendes) while under the watchful eye of overbearing Brazilian mother (real-life mom Maria Mancuso). Such autobiographical details are downplayed in a script that lacks the same imagination as Mancuso’s ambitious visual flourishes. The uneven result shows promise for Mancuso on both sides of the camera, however. (Rated R, 91 minutes).

The Old Oak

Despite some sentimental tendencies, the plea for acceptance and compassion in the latest working-class drama from esteemed British filmmaker Ken Loach (The Wind That Shakes the Barley) resonates beyond cultural and geographic boundaries. It’s set in a rural mining village where the frustration of dwindling property values is coupled with the relocation of a Syrian refugee family. When a popular pub owner (Dave Turner) charitably welcomes them, his act of goodwill alienates his xenophobic regulars and force him to pick sides. The character-driven screenplay by longtime Loach collaborator Paul Laverty is intimate and authentic even if the ending feels too pat. It’s heartfelt and powerful. (Not rated, 113 minutes).

Parachute

Committed performances drive this powerful low-budget drama that navigates tricky thematic territory with sensitivity and clear-eyed empathy. Riley (Courtney Eaton) is in rehab for an eating disorder and body-image issues when she meets Ethan (Thomas Mann), who is fresh out of prison. As their relationship deepens, their codependency proves both a benefit and a detriment when charting a brighter future, especially given their own addictions and the instability around them. Despite some final-act contrivances, the directorial debut of actress Brittany Snow feels audacious and authentic while refusing to pass judgment or provide easy answers. The cast includes Scott Mescudi, Joel McHale, and Dave Bautista. (Not rated, 97 minutes).

Yannick

Those on the same idiosyncratic wavelength will enjoy this latest trifle from French auteur Quentin Dupieux (Deerskin), which is as funny as it is forgettable — and well within his absurdist comfort zone. Yannick (Raphael Quenard) is a security guard who heckles a stage performance of a Parisian boulevard comedy. He escalates the disruption by confronting the lead actor (Pio Marmai) and adamantly demands reparations for wasting his time watching the disastrous play. The film satirizes the stuffy theater scene and socioeconomic class, although it’s mostly a deadpan lark more interested in poking fun than making a point. Buying into the exaggerated quirks yields modest rewards. (Not rated, 67 minutes).