Capsule reviews for Aug. 9

Cuckoo

Constantly creepy and consistently confounding, this offbeat horror saga from German director Tilman Singer (Luz) is more noteworthy for its haunting visuals than its narrative coherence. Gretchen (Hunter Schafer) is an American teenager sent to live with her father (Marton Csokas) and his new family at a snowy resort in the Bavarian Alps. The adjustment proves difficult beyond the language and culture, however, when Gretchen begins experiencing paranoid hallucinations and suffers a head injury, suspecting the resort owner (Dan Stevens) is up to something sinister. Schafer (“Euphoria”) is captivating as some bizarre twists cue an uneven descent into madness that’s chilling more in concept than execution. (Rated R, 102 minutes).

Dance First

“There’s nothing interesting about joy,” laments notorious misanthrope Samuel Beckett (Gabriel Byrne) in this introspective biopic from director James Marsh (The Theory of Everything), which struggles to probe the iconic 20th century Irish writer’s headspace with much fresh context or insight. We’re presented with snippets from his personal and professional life — his overbearing mother, his tutelage under James Joyce (Aiden Gillen), his breakthrough with the absurdist masterpiece Waiting for Godot, his subsequent Nobel Prize, and his turbulent relationship with longtime wife Suzanne (Sandrine Bonnaire). Byrne’s multilayered portrayal elevates an otherwise uneven portrait of artistic inspiration. Its fractured nature keeps the enigmatic Beckett at a distance. (Not rated, 100 minutes).

Duchess

Recycling characters and themes from countless other British gangster flicks, this hackneyed thriller from director Neill Marshall (The Descent) is only noteworthy for its brutally violent confrontations. It follows badass Scarlett (Charlotte Kirk), a crook whose attempt to get rich via diamond smuggling ring entangles her in a vast criminal enterprise. After being left for dead, she embarks on a solo mission for vengeance. Shamelessly echoing early Guy Ritchie or Matthew Vaughn, the screenplay by Marshall and Kirk strings together genre cliches with little regard for depth or narrative coherence, and thus no real reason to care about Scarlett’s predictable journey of empowerment and redemption. (Rated R, 113 minutes).

Girl You Know It’s True

Image rehabilitation might be prioritized over genuine insight, yet a shallow and glossy biopic about the late-1980s pop duo Milli Vanilli seems to fit the subject. It charts the quick rise and fall of German breakdancer Rob (Tijan Njie) and French choreographer Fab (Elan Ben Ali), who sign with a shady producer (Matthais Schweighofer) and become global superstars. Except they don’t sing their own songs, which causes a scandal when the secret is exposed. Positioning them as naïve pawns and dreamers swallowed up by corporate greed and superficial tastes, the screenplay is derivative. However, the stylish film is a compelling reconsideration of the band’s trivial legacy. (Not rated, 124 minutes).

Good One

Balancing quirky comedy and introspective drama, this coming-of-age character study finds honesty through relatable characters and uncomfortable truths. Sam (Lily Collias) is a teenager forced to endure the bickering between her father (James LeGros) and his best friend (Danny McCarthy) while on a Catskills hiking trip. However, as fractured family dynamics are revealed and lingering hostilities bubble to the surface, what was supposed to be a weekend to bring relationships together threatens to tear them apart. The deliberately paced yet quietly perceptive screenplay by rookie director India Donaldson features a simple premise complemented by sharply understated performances, especially newcomer Collias, along with some lovely scenery. (Rated R, 89 minutes).

The Last Front

While it lacks broader context and thematic texture, this character-driven war drama resonates with genuine emotion, thanks primarily to a deeply felt performance from Scottish character actor Iain Glen (“Game of Thrones”). He plays Leonard, a widowed farmer in Belgium during the outset of World War I whose village in invaded by German troops with violent intentions on their way to invade France. Leonard is reluctant at first as he winds up leading a resistance movement that galvanizes the locals while offering a chance at personal redemption. Despite some heavy-handed tendencies, the uneven debut of director Julien Hayet-Kerknawi features an agreeable pace and throwback sensibility. (Not rated, 98 minutes).

One Fast Move

Without mustering enough horsepower for adrenaline junkies, this motorcycle saga also charts a bumpy off-track road to redemption and reconciliation. Wes (K.J. Apa) is a hotheaded ex-con seeking a fresh start through racing his beloved bike. He reluctantly partners with his estranged father (Eric Dane), an alcoholic ex-racer whose misguided mentorship comes with ulterior motives. There’s also an obligatory rivalry to settle a grudge, a diner waitress (Maia Reficco) providing the love interest, and a wise old sage (Edward James Olmos) running the local repair shop. Although some of the racing sequences are exciting, the cliché-fueled screenplay runs out of gas well before the finish line. (Rated R, 106 minutes).

Running on Empty

The tonally disparate pieces don’t quite fit together in this morbid science-fiction comedy about seeking fulfillment and confronting mortality that feels stiff. In the near future, a young mortician (Keir Gilchrist) learns his “death date” will likely be in less than a year. After his shallow fiancée leaves him, he joins a dating service to find women also about to meet their demise. That leads him to a charming video-service interviewer (Lucy Hale) but also to a vengeful pimp. Overdosing on quirks, the screenplay by rookie director Daniel Andre isn’t as clever or life-affirming as intended. The cast includes Jim Gaffigan, Jay Pharoah, and Monica Potter. (Rated R, 91 minutes).

Sugarcane

Both eye-opening and gut-wrenching, this thoughtful documentary brings a broad resonance and urgency to a culturally specific story of systemic oppression and abuse. It chronicles an investigation into the truth behind dozens of unmarked graves in the ominous shadow of a Catholic boarding school near a Canadian tribal reservation. The film traces the history of the institution, which for decades — under federal government authority — turned education into a nightmarish experience for indigenous children, which included physical and emotional torture. And the effects of those horrors still linger today. The result is enlightening and infuriating, bleak yet powerful, as it seeks closure and catharsis against steep odds. (Rated R, 107 minutes).