Capsule reviews for Jan. 29

Haymaker

Hardly a knockout, this combination of a stilted love story with a fighter’s quest for redemption falls flat inside and outside the ring. It comes off as a vanity project for rookie director Nick Sasso, who also stars as a retired athlete — named Nick! — in the martial-arts discipline of Muay Thai. He’s working as a bouncer when a transgender nightclub singer (Nomi Ruiz) recruits Nick to be her bodyguard. Eventually their relationship deepens, leading to some difficult choices for each. The two leads don’t showcase much chemistry or charisma, and Sasso’s earnest screenplay lacks the character depth and narrative coherence to generate any rooting interest. (Not rated, 83 minutes).

I’ll Meet You There

Strong performances and heartfelt intentions are compromised by melodramatic storytelling in this domestic saga, which is a shame considering the timeliness of the subject matter. Majeed (Faran Tahir) is a Chicago police officer whose elderly father (Muhammad Qavi Khan) arrives suddenly from Pakistan, unaware that Majeed has distanced himself from his Muslim faith and his daughter (Nikita Tewani) specializes in a dance that’s forbidden in their homeland. Amid some plot complications, it boils down to intergenerational conflict over religious traditions and cultural assimilation. The screenplay by rookie director Iram Parveen Bilal is insightful in its more intimate moments, yet relies too heavily on far-fetched contrivances. (Not rated, 91 minutes).

The Night

More noteworthy for its cultural origins than its content, this Iranian horror film manages some genuine chills alongside its familiar genre elements. The story is set in Los Angeles, where Babak (Shahab Hosseini) stops at a creepy hotel while returning from a party with his wife (Niousha Noor) and infant child. During the overnight hours, they endure a seemingly random series of hallucinations and strange happenings from which they can’t escape. Some clever twists and stylish visuals elevate the simple concept for viewers willing to overlook the logical gaps and narrative gimmicks. Plus, director Kourosh Ahari effectively uses the confined setting to enhance the suspense. (Not rated, 105 minutes).

Saint Maud

A committed portrayal by Welsh actress Morfydd Clark (Crawl) drives this inventive and unsettling psychological thriller that doubles as a piercing character study of faith and feminism. Clark plays a hospice nurse for a dying woman (Jennifer Ehle) in Brooklyn. Her intense Christian devotion runs counter to the beliefs of her employer, however, which leads to a self-destructive downward spiral of hallucinations and past secrets that she views as a direct test from God. Combining an ominous atmosphere with clever twists, the film marks a stylish and confident debut for filmmaker Rose Glass, whose screenplay continues to build suspense as it grows darker and weirder. (Rated R, 84 minutes).

Savage

Depicting the anatomy of a monster, this Kiwi drama tracks how a young boy from an abusive upbringing becomes one of New Zealand’s most notorious and violent gangsters. The story begins with Danny (Jake Ryan) as a ruthless street gang enforcer before flashing back to his juvenile incarceration, and later, his indoctrination into organized crime. The screenplay by rookie director Sam Kelly provides an intimate glimpse into the allure of the gangster lifestyle for disenfranchised youth through a cycle of brutal violence, fragile loyalty, and toxic masculinity. However, the film lacks broader insight and ultimately fails to generate sympathy for Danny as he seeks redemption. (Not rated, 99 minutes).

Savage State

History buffs might be intrigued by the fresh Civil War perspective of this stylish bilingual Western, although the lack of narrative momentum makes it more tedious than thrilling. It follows a family of French colonists settled in Missouri at the onset of the conflict. So they decide to flee to Paris by way of New York, except the resulting cross-country journey is complicated by the troubled smuggler (Kevin Janssens) guiding them, especially when he catches the eye of the family’s daughter (Alice Isaaz). More of a brooding character study than a frontier action saga, the deliberately paced film is technically proficient but dramatically flat. (Not rated, 121 minutes).