Capsule reviews for Sept. 1

The Good Mother

What starts as a gritty blue-collar drama about dark secrets and a family torn apart by the opioid crisis unfortunately transitions into a generic thriller with familiar characters and far-fetched twists. Marissa (Hilary Swank) is an upstate New York journalist reeling from the murder of her estranged son. Desperate for answers, she reluctantly forms an alliance with the deceased’s pregnant girlfriend (Olivia Cooke) to navigate a seedy underground network of dealers and junkies in search of clues that might be closer than they think. Swank’s committed performance and some stylish visual flourishes from director Miles Joris-Peryafitte mildly elevate the material above its nondescript narrative trappings. (Not rated, 89 minutes).

Marisol

An expressive portrayal by newcomer Esmeralda Camargo in the title role galvanizes this heavy-handed but heartfelt immigration drama from director Kevin Abrams (I Got a Monster). Marisol is a teenager in a Texas border town preparing for college when an accident at a party changes her future forever. Living with her aunt (Liana Mendoza) and cousins, she’s from an undocumented family, which causes her to flee across the country once she’s accused of a crime by a classmate (Theo Taplitz). The film’s views on ideological extremism lack sufficient subtlety and nuance, although it approaches familiar thematic territory from a fresh perspective while promoting compassion over animosity. (Not rated, 91 minutes).

Nandor Fodor and the Talking Mongoose

Among the title characters, the latter is more intriguing but the former is the primary focus of this offbeat comedy that finds a quirky premise derailed by uneven execution. Set in the 1930s, it follows Fodor (Simon Pegg), a renowned parapsychologist dispatched by a respected colleague (Christopher Lloyd) to investigate a rumored anthropomorphic creature on a remote farm. After arriving with his assistant (Minnie Driver), Fodor’s curiosity turns to skepticism and later hostility when he fears his wild (mon)goose chase is nothing more than a farce. It’s mildly amusing, but the screenplay by director Adam Sigal (Chariot) struggles to modulate tones during Fodor’s descent into madness. (Rated PG-13, 96 minutes).