Capsule reviews for Feb. 10

At Midnight

More forgettable than substantive even by genre standards, this breezy romantic comedy from director Jonah Feingold (Dating and New York) finds appealing performers unable to rescue the script from its cutesy predictability. It’s set in Mexico, where Sophie (Monica Barbaro) is filming a superhero sequel with her philandering co-star and real-life love interest (Anders Holm). Knowing that a breakup would damage her reputation, she must keep her flirtations with a hotel manager (Diego Boneta) hidden until filming wraps. Underlying themes about Mexican culture and the superficiality of celebrity media coverage aren’t given much heft by a plot that’s more concerned with sunset getaways and strained whimsy. (Rated R, 99 minutes).

Consecration

Visually striking and playfully sacrilegious, this moderately unsettling thriller establishes a creepy atmosphere before relying on familiar genre tropes. Grace (Jena Malone) travels from London to a remote Scottish convent where her estranged brother was apparently murdered. As a priest (Danny Huston) helps her dig for clues, Grace is haunted by hallucinations. She suspects a church cover-up before realizing she must confront dark secrets within her family’s past concerning curses and relics. Along the way, director Christopher Smith (Detour) conjures some disturbing imagery while sprinkling some laughs amid the frights. However, the suspense dwindles as the incoherent final act turns into a bloody mess. (Rated R, 91 minutes).

iMordecai

The intentions might be pure, but this comedy about aging and technology struggles to modulate its humorous and heart-tugging elements to generate the intended life-affirming resonance. Mordecai (Judd Hirsch) is a Holocaust survivor and spunky retiree trying to remain upbeat as he cares for his ailing wife (Carol Kane). When his entrepreneurial son (Sean Astin) encourages Mordecai to trade up for an iPhone, it brings him into a new world — for better and worse. A sharp cast helps to bolster the flat sections of the autobiographical screenplay by rookie director Marvin Semel. However, it doesn’t provide much emotional depth beneath its exaggerated surface gags and observations. (Not rated, 102 minutes).

Seriously Red

An appropriately high-spirited tribute to impersonator culture and Dolly Parton, this quirky crowd-pleaser ultimately feels too detached from reality to generate a deeper rooting interest. Red (Krew Boylan) is a fledgling real-estate agent who finds her calling as a Dolly doppelganger, with an Elvis impersonator (Rose Byrne) and a promoter (Bobby Cannevale) open doors for her to tour as an act with a wannabe Kenny Rogers (Daniel Webber). But pursuing her dream leaves Red uneasy about what’s real and fake. Australian actress Boylan is convincing enough, although her screenplay struggles to find its rhythm with counterfeit personas who are more compelling than those without the makeup. (Rated R, 104 minutes).

Somebody I Used to Know

Balancing elements of raunchy romantic comedy with introspective relationship drama, the latest from director Dave Franco (The Rental) is amusing and heartfelt enough to offset its contrivances. It follows Ally (Alison Brie), a documentary filmmaker who returns to her small Washington hometown and reconnects with her ex-fiance (Jay Ellis), unaware that he’s about to marry a free-spirited young singer (Kiersey Clemons). That sets up a love triangle that veers in unexpected and slightly uncomfortable directions, as the script by Franco and Brie — who are married in real life — puts a fresh spin on familiar themes such as female empowerment, blended families, and reconciling your past. (Rated R, 106 minutes).