Capsule reviews for Aug. 19

Delia’s Gone

Aside from the fuzzy use of intellectual disability as a narrative crutch, this character-driven murder mystery doesn’t yield enough surprises or intrigue to maintain a meaningful level of suspense. Louis (Stephan James) is a young man apparently on the spectrum whose older sister and caretaker (Genelle Williams) is found dead. Louis is convinced of his own guilt until years later, when new evidence provides an opening for revenge against a corrupt sheriff (Marisa Tomei) and her family. The screenplay by director Robert Budreau (Stockholm) hints at a thoughtful probe of the intersection of guilt and faith, but otherwise struggles to build a sufficient rooting interest. (Rated R, 90 minutes).

Get Away If You Can

While it incisively deconstructs how external forces can cause a marriage to crumble, this intimate relationship drama doesn’t provide much incentive for emotional investment in its unsympathetic characters. It rides along with a couple (newcomers Terrence Martin and Dominique Braun, who are also the writers and directors) as they sail for an ocean paradise to rekindle their romantic spark. The plan backfires when lingering hostilities resurface, especially related to his domineering father (Ed Harris). Kept afloat by some intriguing dynamics within its tight quarters, the film is candid yet slight as it navigates the undulating waves for both the weary sailors and their vessel. (Not rated, 78 minutes).

The Immaculate Room

Despite the setting, this character-driven drama is a bit messy, feeling like a one-act play with a gimmicky premise that doesn’t warrant a stretch to feature length. Michael (Emile Hirsch) and Kate (Kate Bosworth) are engaged when they accept a challenge to spend 50 days isolated under strict rules in an all-white room, after which they will apparently win $5 million. However, as the contrived twists pile up and secrets are gradually revealed, the relationship is threatened. The actors develop a convincing chemistry, although any attempt to satirize reality television or examine pandemic-era mental strain is muddled. There’s no reason to care about the result. (Rated R, 92 minutes).

The Legend of Molly Johnson

Beneath its surface Western cliches, this character-driven 19th century Australian drama is an uneven but powerful story of resilience and cultural heritage with a feminist spin. It’s a passion project for rookie director Leah Purcell, who adapted her own stage play — updating a Henry Lawson short story — and also stars in the title role. With gun in hand, Molly stoically raises her children in a rural cabin while her husband is away on cattle runs. But visits from a British lawman (Sam Reid) and an accused murderer (Rob Collins) prompt her to revisit her past. Along the way, the visually striking film overcomes its heavy-handed tendencies. (Not rated, 108 minutes).

The Runner

More familiar than fresh, this uneven coming-of-age drama feels more contrived than authentic in portraying the perils of the teenage drug trade. It follows rebellious Aiden (Edouard Philipponnat), an addict and dealer who is busted for possession. His only chance to avoid prison is going undercover to help the police bust a local kingpin (Eric Balfour), which threatens his high school social life, especially his relationship with his best friend (Nadji Jeter). A committed portrayal by Philipponnat (House of Gucci) can’t rescue an uninspired screenplay with flat supporting characters and a muddled depiction of the moral complexities along its predictably rocky road to redemption. (Rated R, 102 minutes).

Spin Me Round

Considering the importance of mouth-watering Italian cuisine to its plot, you wish the latest offbeat ensemble piece from director Jeff Baena (Life After Beth) was more of a main course than a mere appetizer. Amber (Alison Brie) is a California restaurant manager who wins a corporate retreat to the Italian countryside, where a prized meeting with the chain’s founder (Alessandro Nivola) leads to a strange set of occurrences for Amber and her colleagues. Some of the ensuing turns are more amusing than others, yet rarely raise the emotional stakes in what amounts to a scenic trifle. The cast includes Aubrey Plaza, Molly Shannon, and Fred Armisen. (Not rated, 103 minutes).

Squeal

The whole-hog approach to this dark fantasy about a man and his unlikely bovine companions becomes unsettling and strangely captivating. It chronicles the misfortunes of Samuel (Kevin Janssens), who becomes stranded in the Latvian wilderness before an accident involving a lovelorn farmer’s daughter (Laura Silina), whose initial kindness hides her ulterior motives and those of her oddball family. Then Samuel wakes up in chains alongside some pigs. Armenian director Aik Karapetian tends to overdose on the eccentricities, making the film a very acquired taste. Yet its off-putting surface eventually gives way to layers of emotional depth that resonate, thanks mostly to the commitment of Janssens. (Not rated, 85 minutes).

The Territory

Within the lush beauty of the Amazon rainforest lies an ugly battle over land rights. This immersive documentary tracks the efforts of a dwindling indigenous tribe in Brazil to protect their heritage from deforestation, encroaching farmers, and government deregulation. As the conflict turns more violent, arguments emerge over the value of tradition versus cultivation, and whether coexistence is possible. Rookie director Alex Pritz smartly avoids preaching or posturing for either side, although it’s difficult not to sympathize with the natives whose existence is threatened even after outside activists intervene. With captivating twists along the way, the intimate film is layered with urgency and humanity. (Not rated, 83 minutes).

Three Minutes: A Lengthening

Ordinary at first glance, a brief snippet of 16-millimeter film shot during a 1938 family vacation becomes the unlikely launchpad for a fascinating documentary essay about Holocaust victims, celluloid preservation, and archival research. The silent footage was captured by David Kurtz in a small Jewish village in Poland that was decimated by the Nazis only a few years later. When his grandson unearthed the decaying footage 80 years later, he realized its historical value and unique perspective, and sought to pay tribute to the smiling faces while acknowledging the ensuing atrocities. The result is both haunting and enlightening, even as we mourn the inevitable ending. (Not rated, 72 minutes).