Capsule reviews for May 7

Above Suspicion

It’s difficult to find a rooting interest in any of the unscrupulous miscreants in this backwoods potboiler from director Phillip Noyce (Patriot Games), which is based on a true story. It’s set in 1988 in small-town Kentucky, where Susan (Emilia Clarke) is engaged in small-time drug dealing and welfare fraud with her ex-husband (Johnny Knoxville). An FBI agent (Jack Huston) starts snooping around, and recruits Susan as an informant, but soon his own impulses lead to tragic consequences. The cartoonish hillbilly accents contribute to a lack of authenticity for a story so entrenched in its setting, while considering the stakes, the suspense remains mild. (Rated R, 104 minutes).

The Boy from Medellin

His fans know the reggaeton music that has turned J Balvin into a global superstar. But even devoted followers might not be familiar with the internal turmoil he endures stemming from political unrest in his native Colombia. That’s the primary takeaway from this illuminating behind-the-scenes documentary from director Matthew Heineman (Cartel Lane), which follows Balvin as he prepares for his first stadium headlining gig in Mexico in 2019. Through candid footage and interviews, we see a conflicted performer trying to balance contemporary expectations — delivering the goods on stage while also being socially responsible. Where the film lacks depth, the intimate perspective enables it to find rhythm. (Rated R, 95 minutes).

Here Today

Charming performances are undercut by too many contrivances in this bittersweet, heartfelt comedy from director Billy Crystal. He also stars as Charlie, a widower and veteran comedy writer exhibiting symptoms of dementia. He tries to hide them, but as his condition worsens and his behavior becomes erratic, he forms an unlikely friendship with a singer (Tiffany Haddish) who’s having relationship troubles of her own. The two stars generate an endearing odd-couple chemistry, and some scattered big laughs show that Crystal still has it. However, even for those buying into the lost-souls premise, Charlie’s affliction feels more like a plot device in a sappy redemption story. (Rated PG-13, 117 minutes).

Initiation

Showing slightly more ambition than the usual college slasher flick, this gory murder mystery nevertheless mostly conforms to expectations in an overcrowded genre. It’s set at a posh private school where the party-hearty atmosphere is thrown into disarray when a star athlete is impaled. The resulting investigation reveals the work of a serial killer, with motives possibly tied to a dark secret from the university’s past. As the body count accumulates, the film struggles to generate consistent tension or emotional investment in these bland characters. Despite hinting at a deeper exploration of campus violence in the social-media age, it doesn’t register much of an impact. (Rated R, 96 minutes).

Mainstream

Skewering the shallow and fickle nature of viral fame, this edgy satire from director Gia Coppola (Palo Alto) ultimately lacks the courage to follow through on its convictions. It tracks the rise of a slacker (Andrew Garfield) whose penchant for outrageous and sophomoric antics makes him an instant hit on YouTube. Backed by a bartender (Maya Hawke) who finds him alluring and an opportunistic producer (Jason Schwartzman), he gains legions of online fans. The film’s cynical examination of the toxic influencer culture and its profiteering enablers — buoyed by Garfield’s electric performance — gives way to a heavy-handed plea for sympathy that lets its characters off the hook. (Rated R, 94 minutes).

Paper Spiders

Despite an unsatisfying ending, this intimate coming-of-age drama finds emotional depth and fresh insight in its portrayal of a family torn apart by mental illness. Specifically, it follows Melanie (Stefania Owen), a college-bound teenager whose overbearing single mother, Dawn (Lili Taylor), is enduring paranoid delusions about being stalked by a neighbor. With both mother and daughter still grieving Dawn’s husband, her resulting downward spiral tears them apart and threatens Melanie’s future when she’s not sure where to turn for help. Give director Inon Shampanier for making the material uncomfortable without turning manipulative. Both portrayals find a hard-earned sympathy even when the film strains credibility. (Not rated, 109 minutes).

Queen Marie

Alternating between a stuffy period piece and a dry history lesson, this labored biopic doesn’t find many compelling cinematic angles to an intriguing true-life sociopolitical backdrop. Marie (Roxana Lupu) was the granddaughter of Queen Victoria who instead becomes ruler of Romania, which was fractured by World War I. In the aftermath, Marie proposes a controversial plan for unification, which she must negotiate with skeptical world leaders during peace talks in Paris. Lupu’s performance balances strength and vulnerability, while Italian director Alexis Cahill adequately captures the period. Yet while its subject’s courage is easy to embrace, the deliberately paced film maintains a frustrating emotional distance. (Not rated, 110 minutes).

Silo

“The kid is surrounded by unstable corn,” yells a hysterical man in this low-key thriller set primarily within and around the constricted confines of a grain silo. Aside from that moment of unintentional humor, however, this tightly focused saga manages some powerful character-driven moments while illuminating the harrowing dangers facing those who use farm equipment for a living. The story centers on an asthmatic teenager (Jack DiFalco) who becomes entrapped after an accident, prompting a rescue effort from the desperate small-town locals. Although the suspense wavers, the film is most successful as an appreciation of unheralded American farmers through authentic characters and relatable dynamics. (Not rated, 76 minutes).

The Unthinkable

While the action staples of the disaster epic are impressive, it’s the underlying poignancy of the survival story that elevate this Swedish action saga above the usual genre fare. The story centers on Alex (Christoffer Nordenrot), a composer whose abusive father (Jesper Barkselius) is a conspiracy theorist, which comes in handy when the country is attacked both by enemy forces and natural causes. During the ensuing chaos, Alex tries to reunite with his ex-girlfriend (Lisa Henni) before it’s too late. Although it turns convoluted in the second half, the film mostly sidesteps the cheesy, over-the-top tendencies you might expect, especially considering the modest budget. (Not rated, 129 minutes).