Capsule reviews for Feb. 7

Armand

Committed portrayals drive this character-driven Norwegian drama from rookie director Halfdan Ullmann Tondel — grandson of Ingmar Bergman — which maintains an unsettling tension when it’s not indulging in surreal narrative diversions. It follows a disgraced actress (Renate Reinsve) called into a primary-school conference after her first-grader allegedly assaulted a classmate. As she’s questioned by the teacher (Thea Lambrechts Vaulen) and the victim’s mother (Ellen Dorrit Petersen), lingering hostilities and hidden traumas bubble to the surface, causing her to lose her grip on reality. Despite some manipulative twists, the film maximizes discomfort and remains emotionally grounded as it probes troubled family legacies, authority roles, and parental responsibilities. (Rated R, 117 minutes).

Becoming Led Zeppelin

The classic rock band’s legion of fans should appreciate this surface-level documentary into its rise and fall, although it assembles a lot of material with surprisingly little insight. In that sense, prior to an elongated encore, the film is moderately compelling as it strings together anecdotes about the rockers navigating the 1960s London music scene before combining their talents to record seminal songs and albums that still endure today. It’s fun to listen to the guys and the music sounds great, of course. Yet while die-hards might appreciate the celebratory tone, there’s not enough depth to go beyond the greatest hits and into the deep cuts. (Rated PG-13, 121 minutes).

Bring Them Down

Strong performances highlight this otherwise uneven Irish drama that uses a bleak atmosphere of social and economic despair to frame a slow-burning story of feuding families that becomes increasingly contrived. It follows the intersecting stories of two emotionally scarred young men — Michael (Christopher Abbott) and Jack (Barry Keoghan) — on parallel paths as they protect family traditions as rural sheep farmers while dealing with expectations from their overbearing fathers. As their livelihoods become endangered in various ways, desperation leads to dangerous schemes and brutal revenge. There are Western influences in the nonlinear screenplay by rookie director Chris Andrews, which explores intriguing character dynamics with rich cultural specificity. (Rated R, 106 minutes).

Holly by Nightfall

As it chronicles a series of hookups and breakups among angst-ridden millennials, this ensemble comedy lacks the depth to generate any rooting interest in who ultimately gets together and who remains single. In Houston, Holly (Hannah James) and a handful of acquaintances are at different stages in their love lives, figuring out marriage or children, planning their futures or coming to terms with their past. The stylish visual flourishes from veteran music-video director Andy Delaney can’t enliven a screenplay that feels more familiar than fresh. Despite some scattered laughs, most of the film’s attempts at sympathy ring hollow, yielding only minimal insight into contemporary relationships. (Not rated, 83 minutes).

I Love You Forever

A cautionary tale about relationships and mental health in the social-media age, this romance feels too disconnected and exaggerated to have the desired emotional impact. Mackenzie (Sofia Black-D’Elia) is a neurotic law student who meets a newscaster (Ray Nicholson) who treats her like a queen. But he later reveals a toxic possessiveness and raging jealousy that should steer her away, but instead triggers her worst insecurities. The screenplay by directors Elisa Kalani and Cazzie David — who steals her scenes as Mackenzie’s sardonic best friend — effectively subverts millennial romcom tropes, yet seems to wallow in its misery and despair without a path to sympathy or deeper resonance. (Not rated, 89 minutes).

Parthenope

Gorgeous sun-splashed seascapes provide a visually striking backdrop for an otherwise meandering and self-indulgent coming-of-age fantasy from Italian director Paolo Sorrentino (The Hand of God). It chronicles various chapters throughout the life of the alluring title character (Celeste Dalla Porta), from her upbringing in 1960s Naples to finding her place in a shallow and superficial world. She heads to college, meets writer John Cheever (Gary Oldman), dabbles in acting and fame, and recalls with bittersweet fondness the summers of her youth. Sorrentino’s episodic screenplay is frustratingly short on depth and complexity, almost content to simply ignore any deeper meanings and just admire the pretty scenery. (Rated R, 137 minutes).

When I’m Ready
As asteroids hurtle ominously toward Earth, this pre-apocalyptic drama struggles to convince us that hanging out with its two lovebird protagonists is the best way to spend the final days. Michael (Andrew Ortenberg) and Rose (June Schreiner) deepen their relationship during an adventurous final road trip, generally avoiding the news as they meet eccentrics who are taking stock, sharing their fears, reconciling with family, or preparing themselves for the worst. There’s a warmth and sincerity to Ortenberg’s screenplay but the scenario feels too strained in its existential contemplation and nonchalant optimism. Considering the underlying stakes, it never adds up to much in the end. (Not rated, 108 minutes).