Capsule reviews for Sept. 12

Bang Bang

A knockout performance by Tim Blake Nelson (O Brother Where Art Thou) propels this scrappy if familiar character study from director Vincent Grashaw (What Josiah Saw) about a former Detroit boxer whose passion and prowess is buried beneath a cycle of alcohol, drugs, bitter cynicism, and past grudges. Nelson plays Bernard, consumed by guilt and regret as he sees a visit from his estranged teenage grandson (Andrew Liner) as a way to get back into the ring as a trainer, and get revenge on an old rival (Glenn Plummer). Fighting against the script’s cliches, Nelson finds a winning balance of twitchy energy and hardscrabble wisdom. (Not rated, 104 minutes).

Bauryna Salu

An evocative look into fractured families and cultural customs, this quietly perceptive coming-of-age tale from Kazakhstan resonates beyond its setting. It centers on a precocious preteen boy (Yersultan Yermanov) who has been raised by his grandparents in accordance with the titular nomadic tradition. But when his grandmother dies, while processing his grief and learning to express himself, he must move back in with the parents who gave him away and barely know him. More contemplative than somber, the semiautobiographical screenplay by rookie director Askhat Kuchinchirekov naturally captures life’s rhythms through the curious eyes of its protagonist, portrayed with sensitivity and maturity by acting newcomer Yermanov. (Not rated, 113 minutes).

Code 3

“This job breaks everybody,” laments Randy (Rainn Wilson), a burned-out paramedic on the edge of this lighthearted tribute to his overworked and underappreciated profession. He’s on his final extended shift before retirement, where he tackles a variety of life-or-death scenarios with both cynicism and determination, alongside his ambulance driver (Lil Rel Howery) and a wide-eyed trainee (Aimee Carrero). While laughing at the absurdities makes a worthwhile coping mechanism for Randy and his colleagues amid the chaos, the uneven film ditches its laughs for rambling, heavy-handed sanctimony when ranting about the downplayed heroism of the low-pay, high-stress job — as worthwhile as such a message might be. (Rated R, 104 minutes).

Happyend

More effective as an incisive portrait of disaffected youth than a provocative examination of bureaucratic overreach, this offbeat Japanese drama nevertheless resonates beyond geographical and cultural boundaries. Set against the backdrop of social unrest and persistent earthquake warnings in a near-future Tokyo, it chronicles a group of rebellious teenagers with a Breakfast Club vibe whose elaborate prank on their overbearing principal leads to unintended consequences, including the installation of a high-tech surveillance system. Thematically familiar on the surface, the screenplay by director Neo Sora juggles tones to yield a witty satire about conformity and control that doesn’t settle for contrived sympathy in its escalating power struggle. (Not rated, 113 minutes).

Looking Through Water

Amiable but hardly memorable, this thinly plotted drama about male bonding and fly fishing from Mexican filmmaker Roberto Sneider (You’re Killing Me Susana) coasts on its low-key charms and noteworthy ensemble cast. Told mostly in flashback, it centers on William (Michael Stahl-David), a fledgling businessman in 1980s New York who reconnects with his estranged father (David Morse) during a fishing tournament in Belize. Four decades later, William (Michael Douglas) uses time on the water to impart lessons to his grandson (Walker Scobell). As multiple generations discover a path to redemption, the fishing sequences reel you in, but the melodramatic screenplay lacks an emotional hook. (Not rated, 106 minutes).

The Man in My Basement

Two committed performances can’t rescue this muddled character-driven thriller about cultural heritage, family legacies, and ethnic identity. Charles (Corey Hawkins) lives alone in an inherited large house in a gentrified Long Island village, struggling to pay the mortgage while the rest of his family has moved on. Out of desperation, he accepts a lucrative offer from a mysterious stranger (Willem Dafoe) to rent his basement for two months without asking questions about his motives. As their interactions leave Charles haunted by guilt and forced to reconcile with a troubled past, the film loses its way. It’s mildly provocative, yet the intriguing premise outweighs the ponderous payoff. (Rated R, 115 minutes).

Motherland

The premise overshadows the execution of this uneven if morally complex dystopian drama in which narrative contrivances undermine a thoughtful examination of parental instincts, government corruption, and gender roles. It’s set in an oppressive alternate reality where mothers must surrender their newborns for state-sponsored rearing. Cora (Miriam Silverman) works at a center where she’s meant to enforce the rules, but uncovers sinister secrets about her own past and the center’s director (Holland Taylor), causing her loyalty to waver. The intermittently absorbing film spends too much time explaining and validating the moral complexities of its convoluted concept to generate consistent suspense or resonate more deeply. (Not rated, 99 minutes).

Naked Ambition

Arguing that its subject never got sufficient recognition, this documentary about 1950s pinup photographer Bunny Yeager tries first and foremost to right that wrong. Yeager started as a model in Miami before turning to a successful career on the other side of the camera during a time when society loosened its taboos on nudity, including the launch of Playboy magazine. Although it lacks depth and focus in stretches, this portrait offers some compelling context through which to view Yeager’s career — considering social attitudes regarding pornography during her heyday — while also exploring turmoil in her personal life. But primarily, it persuasively shapes her legacy as a pioneer. (Not rated, 73 minutes).

Rabbit Trap

Some intriguing science-fiction concepts remain muddled and muted in this slow-burn British psychological thriller that tries to translate sounds into scares. It centers on a singer (Rosy McEwen) and a sound engineer (Dev Patel) who live in a remote cottage, obsessed by the almost imperceptible wilderness noises that for them become an aphrodisiac. But welcoming an androgynous stranger (Jade Croot) into their home triggers a hallucinatory downward spiral that threatens to tear them apart. This exercise in Celtic folk horror from rookie director Bryn Chainey unsettles the senses with its haunting atmosphere, although the underlying story feels insubstantial while becoming trapped in its technical gimmickry. (Not rated, 88 minutes).

The Senior

Mildly inspirational but mostly formulaic, this true-life football drama from director Rod Lurie (The Outpost) checks the underdog cliches while falling short of the goal line. Mike Flynt (Michael Chiklis) is a quick-tempered former linebacker who was kicked out of his Texas college 37 years ago after an altercation. During a class reunion, still harboring regret, he hatches a plan to try out at age 59 and fulfill the senior season he never had, despite objections from his wife (Mary Stuart Masterson) and family, A committed portrayal by Chiklis brings depth to an otherwise predictable underdog saga about redemption that pays tribute without hitting hard enough. (Rated PG, 99 minutes).