Capsule reviews for June 14

Bad Behaviour

Jennifer Connelly’s committed performance brings some emotional grounding to this otherwise grating dark comedy about midlife crises and fractured family bonds. She plays Lucy, a former actress at a rural retreat operated by a spiritual guru (Ben Whishaw), where she becomes engaged in a feud with an influencer (Dasha Nekrasova) over who is more enlightened. Lucy then uses the experience to reconnect with her estranged daughter (Alice Englert). There are some scattered laughs for those on the same offbeat wavelength, but the script by Englert (Them That Follow) — who also makes her directorial debut — doesn’t provide much incentive for emotional investment in these eccentric misfits. (Not rated, 107 minutes).

Cora Bora

Besides providing a worthy vehicle for comedian Megan Stalter in the title role, this quirky comedy about self-discovery and starting over from director Hannah Pearl Utt (Before You Know It) feels more familiar than fresh. Stalter plays a fledgling nightclub singer whose lingering guilt and regret has translated into a misanthropic worldview. Cora tries moving back to her hometown to rekindle a relationship with her ex-girlfriend (Jojo Gibbs), and when that turns awkward, she must confront an uncertain future. Like its protagonist, the film softens its abrasive edges to find an offbeat charm, although it struggles to generate sympathy along Cora’s road to redemption. (Not rated, 92 minutes).

Fresh Kills

Probing a new angle in the legacy of mobster movies, the vivid and immersive directorial debut of actress Jennifer Esposito recombines well-worn scenarios while giving women a deserving turn in the genre spotlight. Esposito stars as Francine, a Staten Island mother whose husband (Dominick Lombardozzi) is active in the city’s organized crime scene during the 1990s, leaving Francine and her two daughters to weigh the moral consequences with the financial windfall. But such prosperity takes its toll. Esposito’s screenplay is more subtle than strained in differentiating itself. The characters generally aren’t that complex, but they do feel authentic and thoughtfully rendered, just like the film. (Not rated, 119 minutes).

Ghostlight

Digging beneath the surface quirks, there’s tenderness and sincerity throughout this quietly perceptive portrait of fragile family dynamics during a cycle of tragedy and healing. It follows a Chicago construction worker (Keith Kupferer) dealing with job stress, an out-of-control teenage daughter (Katherine Mallen Kupferer), and grief-driven marital strain. He reluctantly agrees to join an actress (Dolly De Leon) in a ragtag theater troupe, but when aspects of their Shakespearean production start to resemble his own life, the venture isn’t much of a therapeutic escape. Co-directors Kelly O’Sullivan and Alex Thompson (Saint Maud) balance humor and poignancy while the real-life relationships between the actors proves advantageous. (Rated R, 115 minutes).

The Grab

If you’re frustrated by escalating costs at the supermarket, this insightful and infuriating documentary from director Gabriela Cowperthwaite (Blackfish) won’t ease your exasperation. It chronicles an effort by acclaimed investigative journalist Nate Halverson to expose how corporate greed and political corruption are potentially hijacking future access to food and water around the globe. Pointing fingers at some of the usual suspects like China and Russia, the film shows how wealthy foreigners are claiming some of the planet’s last unfarmed land — from Arizona to Zambia — for power and profit. Despite becoming unfocused as the details unfold, the film is eye-opening, although perhaps it shouldn’t be. (Not rated, 102 minutes).

Just the Two of Us

There’s a visceral intimacy and intensity to the central romance in this pulpy French thriller from director Valerie Donzelli (Marguerite and Julien) that enable its more formulaic elements to feel fresh and relevant. The story follows Blanche (Virginie Efira), whose whirlwind romance and marriage to Gregoire (Melvil Poupaud) seems like an ideal match — until he turns possessive and ultimately abusive, in ways that limit Blanche’s legal and practical options for escape. Exploring gender politics and toxic masculinity, richly textured performances help to elevate the film above assembly-line potboiler territory, resulting in a focused, twisty, and suspenseful domestic struggle that feels more taut than tawdry. (Not rated, 105 minutes).

Reverse the Curse

Set against the backdrop of the dramatic 1978 baseball season, this male-bonding saga of redemption and reconciliation from director David Duchovny is unlikely to inspire a similar rooting interest. He plays Marty, a terminally ill curmudgeon and diehard Red Sox fan whose estranged adult son (Logan Marshall-Green) moves in to care for him. When his spirits need a boost, he conspires with Marty’s buddies to fake a Red Sox winning streak — that might end miraculously in the World Series. Despite the winning performances and an evocative sense of heartfelt nostalgia, the film tugs too aggressively at the heartstrings and winds up more predictable than profound. (Rated R, 105 minutes).

Ride

Capturing modern small-town cowboy culture with immersive conviction and evocative authenticity, this character-driven drama rises above its more conventional plot mechanics. It chronicles a fractured Texas family steeped in rodeo traditions, including an alcoholic ex-con (Jake Allyn) seeking redemption for a tragic past by returning to bull riding, and his estranged father (C. Thomas Howell), who’s desperate to pay for cancer treatments for his young daughter. Meanwhile, the local sheriff (Annabeth Gish) becomes conflicted about the town’s criminal element. Allyn’s directorial debut conveys sincerity in its working-class dynamics, as long as you can overlook some of the labored twists, heavy-handed symbolism, and corny pearls of wisdom. (Rated R, 113 minutes).

Treasure

Any underlying message of compassion and healing is obscured by obnoxious eccentricities in this offbeat comedy about the inextricable bonds of family, and parental relationships in particular. Ruth (Lena Dunham) travels to Poland to get in touch with her family roots, reluctantly allowing her overbearing father, Edek (Stephen Fry), to tag along. Burdened with lingering hostility and residual grief, they visit landmarks and Edek’s childhood home. Her stubborn meddling fuels his discomfort, leading to impetuous antics rather than coming to terms with his past. The odd-couple chemistry produces some scattered laughs, although the constant bickering as they predictably find common ground isn’t as cathartic for moviegoers. (Rated R, 112 minutes).