Capsule reviews for April 26

Boy Kills World

It winds up an exhausting exercise in style over substance, even if this ultraviolent action comedy has an admirable go-for-broke audacity. It’s set in a post-apocalyptic world where an unnamed Boy (Bill Skarsgard) becomes a martial-arts master to get revenge on a corrupt matriarch (Famke Janssen) who murdered his family in a brutal incident that left him deaf and mute. During his rampage, Boy becomes a hero for the oppressed. With style and attitude to spare, this twisted vigilante thriller marks a promising debut for German director Moritz Mohr, although it will leave all but the heartiest of bloodthirsty genre aficionados with a sense of overkill. (Rated R, 111 minutes).

Cash Out

The financial stakes might be high, but the suspense remains low in this incoherent heist thriller about a slick gang of thieves trying to outmaneuver authorities. John Travolta stars as the mastermind of a crew that disbands after being double-crossed during a daring act of white-collar larceny. But when his younger brother (Lukas Haas) organizes a bank robbery targeting a massive crypto haul with questionable tactics, he’s drawn back into the mix, and forced to square off against a former lover (Kristin Davis) now tracking him with the FBI. Some visual gimmickry can’t cover up the massive plot holes in a script that strains credibility throughout. (Rated R, 92 minutes).

Humane

COVID-19 was a cakewalk compared to the ecological disaster ravaging humanity in this bleak dystopian drama from rookie director Caitlin Cronenberg, daughter of David. However, while tension simmers beneath the surface, it’s more muddled than provocative. The story evolves inside a mansion where a former newsman (Peter Gallagher) gathers his family to reveal he’s volunteered for a government euthanasia program aimed at facilitating a mandated population reduction. But the plan backfires in a maze of greed and corruption. As the film downplays sociopolitical intrigue in favor of gory gamesmanship, it sacrifices emotional depth and moral complexity. The cast includes Jay Baruchel, Emily Hampshire, and Enrico Colantoni. (Not rated, 93 minutes).

Jamie Wyeth and the Unflinching Eye

Going beyond a simple career retrospective, this compelling documentary captures the eccentricities and obsessions of the titular American artist without resorting to hagiography. It probes Wyeth’s love for painting from an early age, his rise to prominence in part because of his family lineage, the shadow of which he later struggles to escape, his renowned portraiture (including John F. Kennedy and Rudolf Nureyev), his collaborations with Andy Warhol, and his landscapes and dreamscapes that occasionally became dark and controversial. Although it lacks depth in exploring Wyeth’s personal life, the film brings context to his enduring legacy while illustrating his diverse and distinct works and muses. (Not rated, 83 minutes).

Nowhere Special

Smartly written and powerfully acted, this tender and bittersweet drama explores parenthood and mortality from a fresh perspective. It’s set in Belfast, where John (James Norton) is a single father working as a window washer. He adores his precocious 3-year-old son (Daniel Lamont) but a terminal diagnosis means they will inevitably be torn apart, prompting John to seek adoption for the impressionable youngster. The process is tough, but letting go proves more challenging. The character-driven screenplay by Italian director Uberto Pasolini (Still Life) is both gut-wrenching and hopeful as it nimbly navigates John’s range of emotions, avoiding cuteness or cheap sentiment while conveying a universal resonance. (Not rated, 95 minutes).

The Feeling That the Time for Doing Something Has Passed

Beneath the surface quirks, there’s an underlying tenderness and authenticity to this deadpan sex comedy about millennial happiness and human connection. Rookie director Joanna Arnow also stars as Ann, a sardonic BDSM enthusiast struggling to find deeper meaning in her relationships, whether it’s with her revolving collection of intimate partners, her equally neurotic parents, or her coworkers in her mundane corporate job. Will a new guy (Babak Tafti) change her misanthropic perspective? Arnow’s uninhibited portrayal balances strength and vulnerability while providing steady laughs along the way. The episodic and deliberately paced result isn’t for all tastes as it offers an absurdist examination of contemporary gender politics. (Not rated, 88 minutes).