Capsule reviews for March 31

Acidman

A pair of richly textured performances drive this low-key character drama from director Alex Lehmann (Meet Cute) about how adult children view the mental deterioration of their aging parents. Specifically, Maggie (Dianna Agron) tracks down her estranged father (Thomas Haden Church) who lives off the grid. Trying to reconnect, she’s alarmed to discover he’s a conspiracy theorist obsessed with flickering lights in the distance and trying to communicate with aliens. Eventually, Maggie must decide whether to diagnose his mental health or embrace his eccentricities. The film’s thin premise results in uneven narrative momentum, although the film smartly avoids excessive quirks in favor of quietly moving interactions. (Not rated, 87 minutes).

Enys Men

Enhanced by an array of throwback visual gimmickry, this slow-burning British spine-tingler is an evocative meditation on memory and loss amid an atmosphere of pervasive melancholy and dread. With sparse dialogue, the story is set in 1973 on a remote island off the Cornish coast, where a botanist (Mary Woodvine) is conducting research. The isolation prompts hallucinations that hint about a past tragedy at sea, to which her connection is unclear. However, the surreal episodes gradually loosen her grip on reality. Not for all tastes, the latest from director Mark Jenkin revels in its self-conscious weirdness and narrative bewilderment, although its cumulative creepiness is chilling. (Not rated, 91 minutes).

Rye Lane

Within a familiar narrative framework, this breezy and stylish romantic comedy doubles as a vivid and immersive glimpse into the social and artistic fabric of a vibrant South London neighborhood. It begins with a chance meeting between the vulnerable and introverted Dom (David Jonsson) and the outgoing firecracker Yas (Vivian Oparah), who are both reeling from breakups and become allies — with acts of revenge and a few sparks thrown in — during a night of misadventures involving exes and strangers. The actors convey a charming chemistry, while rookie director Raine Allen-Miller offers a playful twist to genre conventions through engaging dialogue and energetic visual flourishes. (Rated R, 82 minutes).

Smoking Causes Coughing

Even for those on the same offbeat wavelength, the latest surreal comedy from French director Quentin Dupieux (Deerskin) is aimless and inconsequential, though not without some big laughs along the way. It loosely centers on a group of ragtag superheroes known as Tobacco Force, named apparently because they repel enemies by expelling various gases from their fingers. At any rate, waning team chemistry prompts their boss to send them on a retreat, where they pass the time telling scary stories before their next mission. The ensuing series of droll vignettes are weirdly campy diversions, yet too scattered for Dupieux to find his absurdist comic groove. (Not rated, 77 minutes).

Space Oddity

The same whimsical eccentricities that endear its two main characters to one another might annoy moviegoers in this well-intentioned directorial debut from actress Kyra Sedgwick. Alex (Kyle Allen) has become withdrawn while processing a tragedy, to the extent he insists he’s going to leave the family farm forever in favor of a one-way trip to Mars. His sincerity is questioned by an insurance agent (Alexandra Shipp) who might provide the key to his catharsis. Balancing romantic comedy with a melodrama about guilt and grief, the film struggles to find a consistent tone and remain emotionally grounded. The cast includes Kevin Bacon, Simon Helberg, and Carrie Preston. (Rated PG-13, 93 minutes).

A Thousand and One

Exploring life on the socioeconomic margins with raw authenticity and hard-earned compassion, this evocative coming-of-age drama overcomes its mild contrivances with deeply felt performances and unflinching sincerity. It chronicles Inez (Teyana Taylor), a stubborn and hot-tempered mother from Harlem who kidnaps her son Terry (Josiah Cross) from the foster care system at a young age and — despite instability and self-inflicted hardships — shelters him through his formative years toward an uncertain future. The heartfelt yet painfully honest screenplay by rookie director A.V. Rockwell refuses to make excuses or offer cheap catharsis while poignantly examining themes of gentrification, disenfranchisement, parental responsibility, cultural identity, and fractured family dynamics. (Rated R, 117 minutes).