Capsule reviews for Sept. 5

The Baltimorons

A familiar narrative framework yields a fresh perspective on companionship and fulfillment in this richly textured solo debut for director Jay Duplass (Cyrus). It’s set in Baltimore on Christmas Eve, when Cliff (Michael Strassner) breaks a tooth while heading to a dinner with his fiancee’s family, prompting him to summon an emergency dentist (Liz Larsen) for treatment. With both of them enduring holiday blues of varying degrees, can they find comfort in one another’s company for the night? Subverting genre and seasonal tropes, the bittersweet and amusing screenplay by Duplass and Strassner resonates with heartfelt empathy for its setting and its characters while sidestepping cheap catharsis. (Rated R, 99 minutes).

Caper

In this middle-aged riff on the all-night mayhem and self-inflicted anguish of The Hangover, the scattered big laughs require sorting through excessive plot mechanics and far-fetched coincidences. It hardly seems worth all the trouble. When one of their poker buddies accidentally sends an NSFW text to his boss, rather than the intended recipient, four technologically challenged friends try to rescue his reputation during a desperate attempt to delete the evidence in seedy New York. The film uses their ill-conceived scheme as the basis for a lighthearted exploration of brotherhood and toxic masculinity, although it’s only mildly amusing and doesn’t add up to much in the end. (Not rated, 88 minutes).

The Cut

Orlando Bloom’s fully committed portrayal elevates this intense character study from director Sean Ellis (Anthropoid) that puts a twist on boxing as a vessel for redemption yet doesn’t score a knockout. Bloom plays a retired fighter still reeling from personal tragedies and regrets in the ring, who now runs a neighborhood gym with his wife (Catriona Balfe). He’s motivated by an unlikely offer for a title fight, which forces him to risk everything while enduring a dangerous weight-loss program with a corrupt trainer (John Turturro). During the resulting downward spiral of self-harm, his motives remain largely internalized, and don’t resonate with moviegoers who witness the misery. (Rated R, 99 minutes).

Riefenstahl

Many questions about the allegiances and motives of pioneering German filmmaker Leni Riefenstahl will likely never be definitively answered, but this compelling expose provides a well-researched launchpad for a fresh discussion among historians and cinephiles. Riefenstahl is the notorious director of 1930s Nazi propaganda films such as Triumph of the Will and Olympia, who later adamantly denied she was complicit with the regime’s ideals. This documentary benefits from access to her private archives, including new archival clips and interview footage from just before her death in 2003, which director Andres Veiel enters as evidence in a fascinating retrospective that still has relevance beyond its subject’s work. (Not rated, 115 minutes).

A Savage Art

A timely appreciation of the acerbic wit and creative expression of retired Pulitzer-winning political cartoonist Pat Oliphant, this glossy documentary goes overboard in its effusive praise at the expense of deeper insight or perspective. The directorial debut of former theater executive Bill Banowsky traces Oliphant’s 60-year newspaper career during which the liberal native Australian specialized in skewering presidents and world leaders and persuasively dissecting social issues with unique flair. We don’t get to know much about him beyond his wonderful drawings, although the film offers a compelling glimpse into his influential legacy and the unfortunate decline of cartooning in the contemporary political and media landscape. (Not rated, 87 minutes).

The Threesome

The title is an accurate description, yet also perhaps a playfully provocative bit of misdirection for a thin yet amusing comedy from director Chad Hartiagan (Little Fish) that’s less about the insinuated hookup and more about the resulting fallout. It follows Connor (Jonah Hauer-King) and Olivia (Zoey Deutch), whose relationship has never progressed further than close friends until their unexpected evening with a stranger (Ruby Cruz) after attending a wedding. Afterward, they must sort out what happened and how to move forward. Fortunately, the characters — as well as the actors — are charming enough to make us invest more in the emotional rather than the physical consequences. (Rated R, 112 minutes).

Tina

Although the storytelling is conventional, the title character’s determination gives a well-earned poignancy to this crowd-pleasing Kiwi drama saluting the power of teachers. It follows Mareta (Anapela Polataivao), who’s struggling to find a path forward emotionally and financially after losing her daughter in a 2011 earthquake. A job as a substitute teacher provides a sense of purpose when she connects with the troubled students, but more obstacles stand in her way. The feature debut of Samoan filmmaker Miki Magasiva is rough around the edges yet sincere in its cultural specificity and heartwarming intentions along Mareta’s journey to catharsis, which should resonate beyond its setting. (Not rated, 124 minutes).

Twinless

An intricately constructed exploration of guilt and grief that never turns sappy or manipulative, this darkly funny drama of healing from director James Sweeney (Straight Up) is sensitive yet sophisticated. Sweeney also stars as Dennis, a graphic designer who befriends Roman (Dylan O’Brien) in a support group for those who’ve lost a twin sibling. Both find comfort in one another’s company, although they might have different motives, as revealed when Roman begins a relationship with Dennis’ co-worker (Aisling Franciosi). O’Brien (The Maze Runner) is terrific in a dual role, while Sweeney’s skillfully modulated screenplay assuredly balances quirky humor with poignant drama to retain emotional authenticity. (Rated R, 100 minutes).