Capsule reviews for Dec. 10

Agnes

The ambition outweighs the execution in this uneven low-budget hybrid from director Mickey Reece (Climate of the Hunter), which at least takes demonic possession tropes in a fresh direction. It’s more like two movies combined into one, starting with a church investigation into the titular nun (Hayley McFarland) whose outbursts at a remote convent require an exorcism. That prompts a troubled fellow parishioner (Molly Quinn) to leave and try to start over in the outside world. While confronting some provocative themes such as belief systems and spiritual healing, the film lacks the dexterity to effectively juggle elements of broad comedy, gory horror, and introspective drama. (Not rated, 92 minutes).

France

The media skewering in this muddled French satire crosses geographic boundaries, but this ambitious effort from iconoclastic director Bruno Dumont (Joan of Arc) too often eschews subtlety in favor of blunt cynicism. That makes it difficult to find any sympathy for a superstar television reporter named France (Lea Seydoux) whose self-promotion overrides her journalistic ethics. Her life is thrown into turmoil after a car accident involving a pedestrian. Aiming at ripe targets, Seydoux’s portrayal brings depth to a character who hardly seems worth the trouble. She might be able to lure fictional viewers with false sympathy, but the same trickery is unlikely to work with moviegoers. (Not rated, 133 minutes).

The Hating Game

It’s set in the publishing industry, yet this romantic comedy is hardly a cinematic page-turner. A mildly inventive premise turns hopelessly predictable in this adaptation of a Sally Thorne novel from director Peter Hutchings (Then Came You). After a rocky corporate merger, spirited go-getter Lucy (Lucy Hale) is seated across from cold and calculating Joshua (Austin Stowell). When an editing job comes open, their workplace rivalry turns heated. But complications ensue when unexpected sparks fly. Between all the bickering and flirting, breakups and makeups, the film doesn’t offer much rooting interest in who winds up with the promotion — or whether they stay together afterward. (Rated R, 102 minutes).

The Last Son

Other than some cool hats and beards, there’s not much to distinguish this atmospheric Western as it lumbers toward an inevitable final showdown. Set on the snowy American frontier, it chronicles an outlaw (Sam Worthington) trying to end a family curse by killing off each of his children, one by one, before they murder him. As he tracks down his estranged youngest son (Colson Baker), a determined sheriff (Thomas Jane) join the chase. The latest exploration of violence and masculinity from director Tim Sutton (Donnybrook) features some striking imagery, but behind the brooding and macho posturing, there’s not much suspense or incentive for emotional investment. (Rated R, 98 minutes).

Off the Rails

Given the pleasant scenery, cameos by Judi Dench and Franco Nero, and Blondie songs peppering the soundtrack, it’s a shame this earnest comedy of middle-aged misadventures is so predictable and uninspired. It follows three women (Jenny Seagrove, Sally Phillips, and the late Kelly Preston) who have drifted apart over the years before reuniting at a mutual friend’s funeral. Their opportunity to reconnect comes via a final wish from the deceased — to repeat a European rail adventure they took years earlier, only this time with her daughter (Andrea Corr) in tow. Any attempt at genuine poignancy is compromised by the flat jokes and aggressive sentimentality. (Rated R, 93 minutes).