Capsule reviews for Nov. 3

At the Gates

Melodramatic contrivances undermine some of the more provocative social messaging, although this tightly wound thriller builds tension as an intimate study of paranoia and family dynamics. It tracks an El Salvadorean housekeeper (Vanessa Benavente) and her teenage son (Ezekiel Pacheco) who are told by their affluent employer (Miranda Otto) that immigration officers are conducting a raid outside. As they hide out in a basement storage closet for days, the youngster grows suspicious about the family supposedly sheltering them from danger. The screenplay by rookie director Augustus Meleo Bernstein cuts some narrative corners in the final act but examines xenophobia and subconscious bias with heartfelt sincerity. (Rated R, 97 minutes).

Black Noise

At least the tropical scenery is appealing in this otherwise lackluster low-budget thriller from French director Philippe Martinez (Viktor), which is hampered by wooden dialogue, incoherent storytelling, and threadbare effects. It’s set primarily on an island where a team of security contractors is dispatched to rescue an affluent business tycoon from a secluded estate. When they arrive, the operatives led by the brooding and enigmatic Jordan (Alex Pettyfer) find the property deserted, and become targeted by masked assailants and a persistent siren that attacks their senses. As their assignment turns into a nightmarish battle for survival, the film lacks meaningful suspense, intrigue, or character development. (Rated R, 86 minutes).

Helen’s Dead

The problem isn’t the deceased, but those who survive for the duration of this labored murder mystery, which apparently aims for screwball farce with abrasive characters who are neither amusing nor endearing. It follows a collection of schemers and social climbers who gather at a mansion for an upscale dinner party. Secrets are revealed, and as the title suggests, one of them doesn’t make it until dessert, leading to accusations, alibis, and a surprise guest to ruin — or enliven, depending on your point of view — the evening. By the end, you won’t care whodunit. The ensemble cast includes Emile Hirsch, Tyrese Gibson, and Dylan Gelula. (Not rated, 84 minutes).

Radical

A familiar crowd-pleaser told through a fresh cultural lens, this uplifting drama makes the grade despite adhering to narrative formula. Based on a true story, it centers on a beleaguered elementary school teacher (Eugenio Derbez) in a Mexican border city plagued by cartel violence and socioeconomic despair. His misfit students already seem resigned to a grim future, so he ditches the disciplinarian routine in favor of encouraging the youngsters to believe in their potential and change their circumstances. Even with its sentimental tendencies and cliched embellishments, Derbez (Overboard) makes a captivating emotional anchor in this heartfelt if idealistic salute to educators that resonates across geographic boundaries. (Rated PG-13, 125 minutes).

Subject

A documentary about documentaries might seem like a meta exercise, although this thoughtful analysis of ethics and the psychological toll of nonfiction filmmaking lacks sufficient insight or focus. It revisits the on-screen subjects of several impactful documentaries from the past few decades — Hoop Dreams, Capturing the Friedmans, and The Wolfpack, to name a few — and explores how the experience changed their lives, for better or worse. Has it been painful or cathartic, and were they treated fairly in retrospect? The film raises some intriguing questions about cinematic voyeurism and the evolution of the medium in the streaming age, yet emphasizes catching up over probing deeper. (Not rated, 96 minutes).

What Happens Later

The charms are fleeting in this intimate two-handed romantic comedy from director Meg Ryan, whose welcome return to the genre that defined her career heyday only occasionally sparks to life. Ryan plays free-spirited Willa, who is stranded at a regional airport during a snowstorm when she runs into Bill (David Duchovny), her old college sweetheart on a layover during a business trip. They reconnect and reminisce, revealing old neuroses and wondering if there’s a future together. Based on a stage play, the film struggles to mix surreal whimsy with more grounded character drama. Despite some laughs along the way, it drags more than it delights. (Rated R, 105 minutes).