Capsule reviews for Aug. 17

Billionaire Boys Club Familiar subject matter and pedestrian execution minimize the impact of this poor man’s Wolf of Wall Street, which is based on a true story that’s probably fascinating. It examines the volatility of the 1980s American economy through the eyes of ex-college classmates Joe (Ansel Elgort) and Dean (Taron Egerton), whose timely investment in commodities expands into a lucrative Ponzi scheme that winds up unraveling after it’s too late to recover the money. The screenplay by director James Cox (Wonderland) is more concerned with shallow period details than any meaningful moral complexity or contemporary resonance. The ensemble cast includes Jeremy Irvine, Emma Roberts, and Kevin Spacey. (Rated R, 108 minutes).   Blaze Capturing the essence of its subject both visually and musically, this evocative biopic gives the late Texas songwriter Blaze Foley the spotlight he never achieved, while simultaneously exposing his talent and his flaws. It showcases a powerful acting debut from musician Ben Dickey in the title role, chronicling Foley’s relationship with girlfriend Sybil Rosen (Alia Shawkat), and how his alcoholism and personal demons derailed his country-music career prior to his tragic death. The film, adapted from Rosen’s memoir by director Ethan Hawke, interprets the Texas music scene during Foley’s time with gritty authenticity, while the jumbled chronology paints an even-handed portrait that’s both affectionate and elegiac. (Rated R, 128 minutes).   Down a Dark Hall Some stylish touches are undone by overwrought genre tropes and an abundance of supernatural nonsense in this thriller from Spanish director Rodrigo Cortes (Red Lights), based on a Lois Duncan novel. It takes place at a rural boarding school, where the emotionally volatile Kit (AnnaSophia Robb) is the latest arrival. As she bonds with some of her outsider classmates, she begins to notice strange phenomena on campus, particularly pertaining to the erratic behavior of the headmistress (Uma Thurman). Although it might appeal to teenagers who identify with the protagonist’s plight, the film is appropriately unsettling yet never finds the right balance between offbeat humor and genuine fright. (Rated PG-13, 96 minutes).   Juliet, Naked A first-rate cast elevates this engaging adaptation of a Nick Hornby novel from director Jesse Peretz (Beatriz at Dinner). It chronicles Annie (Rose Byrne), the wife of a boorish British music critic (Chris O’Dowd) with every excuse to leave him. Such an opening arises through an online encounter with Tucker (Ethan Hawke), an American musician whose work Annie’s husband adores. But as their mutual interest secretly deepens, Tucker reveals a host of personal problems that have put his career and romantic prospects on hold. Despite some contrivances, the sharply written film navigates some complicated relationship dynamics with sincerity and charm. The three leads are in tune. (Rated R, 105 minutes).   Memoir of War The phrase “sleeping with the enemy” takes on real-world ramifications in this compelling biopic about French author Marguerite Duras, set during the time of her influential writings near the end of World War II. That’s when Duras (Melanie Thierry) was a staunch Resistance activist whose husband (Emmanuel Bordieu) was deported to Dachau by the Gestapo. So she cautiously begins a relationship with a Nazi sympathizer (Benoit Magimel) who might be her husband’s key to freedom. Although the deliberately paced film takes some historical liberties, it works both as a character study and a broader glimpse at Parisian political unrest. Plus, Thierry generates hard-earned sympathy. (Not rated, 127 minutes).   Minding the Gap Much more than your average documentary about skateboarders and skate culture, this powerful debut from director Bing Liu, who tracks the progression from boys to men of his two skater friends as their hometown of Rockford, Illinois, goes through a period of socioeconomic decline. Zack struggles with fatherhood and relationships, while Keire is rebelling after his father’s death. Liu also turns the camera on his own residual trauma from an abusive stepfather. His film manages to pull together these familiar elements in a fresh and compelling way, using flawed subjects who are nevertheless charming and sympathetic as they find an outlet on their skateboards. (Not rated, 93 minutes).   We the Animals Rarely do portraits of adolescent angst feel as intimate and authentic as in this heart-wrenching low-budget drama from rookie director Jeremiah Zagar. It follows Jonah (Evan Rosado), the youngest of three prepubescent brothers struggling to cope with socioeconomic strife and their parents’ abusive relationship. Although the siblings are close, Jonah finds himself especially conflicted about issues of faith and sexuality. The film covers familiar coming-of-age territory in a fresh and invigorating way, benefiting from expressive performances by the three youngsters and a screenplay that doesn’t settle for cheap cuteness or forced sentiment. With an offbeat visual style, it’s uncompromising and deeply heartfelt, just like real life. (Not rated, 94 minutes).   A Whale of a Tale Almost a decade after the Oscar-winning documentary The Cove, this unofficial follow-up returns to the small Japanese town to offer a fresh perspective on the ongoing conflict between animal-rights protesters and local whalers who claim that killing dolphins is both tradition and their livelihood. The result is both even-handed and provocative, as director Megumi Sasaki (Herb and Dorothy) follows an American journalist who befriends some of the fishermen as they endure daily taunts from outsiders and environmental lobbyists. It boils down to a broader argument about perception versus reality and sensationalism in the social-media age, even if this intriguing film is unlikely to sway many opinions. (Not rated, 97 minutes).   The Wife Exquisite performances drive this sharply observed examination of artistic integrity and a crumbling marriage. They converge in this drama about Joan (Glenn Close), the doting wife for 40 years of a novelist (Jonathan Pryce) being awarded a Nobel Prize. That would ordinarily be cause for celebration, and although their relationship is immaculate on the surface, the honor instead exposes secrets that threaten to tear them apart. Was Joan more than just a muse? Does it matter? Despite occasionally slipping into melodrama, the film looks at loyalty and sacrifice in ways that resonate beyond stuffy literary circles. Close generates sympathy without allowing Joan to become a victim. (Rated R, 100 minutes).