Capsule reviews for Dec. 6

Get Away

Despite some clever and subversive twists, this ultraviolent fish-out-of-water thriller unfortunately kills off any meaningful suspense in favor of senseless bloody mayhem. The premise has Richard (Nick Frost), Susan (Aisling Bea), and their two adult children on a weekend getaway to a remote island in Sweden, where the creepy Nordic locals are less than hospitable toward their British visitors. Before the weekend is over, the vacation is interrupted by a serial killer, and it isn’t who you would expect. Frost’s screenplay effectively leans into folk horror influences while mixing in a few laughs, but the final act squanders its setup and muddles the stakes. (Rated R, 86 minutes).

The Girl with the Needle

Difficult to watch yet impossible to ignore, this provocative Danish period drama from director Magnus von Horn (Sweat) is all the more harrowing because of its unsettling contemporary relevance. It’s set in 1919, when a Copenhagen seamstress (Vic Carmen Sonne), who lacks the resources to be a single mother, gives up her infant to a candy store owner (Trine Dyrholm) who runs an underground adoption operation. Their decision to join forces is mutually beneficial until a sinister secret is revealed about the babies. Enhanced by gritty black-and-white cinematography, the true-life story builds a sense of grim despair without compromising its white-knuckle tension or moral complexity. (Not rated, 115 minutes).

Lake George

Strong performances elevate this contemporary neo-noir thriller about greed, betrayal, and revenge above its genre conventions. It centers on Don (Shea Whigham), an ex-con trying to collect a debt from a crime boss, who instead forces him to execute a hit on his firecracker of an ex-wife, Phyllis (Carrie Coon). Don and Phyllis form an uneasy partnership to get even — and potentially rich — if only they can navigate a maze of cloudy motives and shifting loyalties. Although it occasionally bogs down in excessive dialogue, the screenplay by director Jeffrey Reiner (“The Affair”) explores characters on the moral margins through some compelling twists and subtle ambiguities. (118 minutes).

The Seed of the Sacred Fig

With audacity and clear-eyed conviction, this sprawling drama from Iranian filmmaker Mohammad Rasoulof (There Is No Evil) offers a searing takedown of bureaucratic oppression in his homeland through the eyes of those perpetrating it. Specifically, the story follows a powerful and affluent judge (Misagh Zare) whose gun goes missing amid significant political unrest in Tehran, prompting him at first to suspect members of his own family for taking it. When he imposes draconian legal measures in retaliation, everyone’s loyalties become torn. Mixing fact with fiction, the film struggles to maintain consistent tension yet remains fascinating as a study of true-life subjugation that demands attention — and sympathy. (Rated PG-13, 168 minutes).

Sujo

Emphasizing mood and atmosphere over straightforward narrative, this elliptical Mexican coming-of-age drama is a powerful glimpse into the haunting legacy of cartel violence. It chronicles various stages in the young life of the title character (played as a teenager by Juan Jesus Varela), the orphaned son of a gangster whose life is surrounded on the periphery by threats of danger. Forced to live in isolation for fear of persecution by those who killed his father, he tries to become his own man and escape that shadow. Complementing the stylish visuals, the episodic screenplay is cumulatively powerful as a culturally specific exploration of masculinity and childhood innocence. (Not rated, 126 minutes).

The Taste of Mango

Even if the home-movie aesthetics might make it feel insubstantial, this deeply personal documentary builds cumulative power as a study of generational relationships among women. On the cusp of motherhood, rookie director Chloe Abrahams elicits a raw honesty throughout this portrait of her grandmother and mother, along with herself, as all three confront difficult questions about parental responsibility, abusive marriages, and tough love. Lingering hostilities are confronted and regrets are unburdened. The free-flowing result overflows with affection and poignancy as Abrahams explores memory, cultural identity, family legacies, and self-expression. The intimate cinematic essay becomes a vessel for healing and empowerment that carries universal resonance. (Not rated, 75 minutes).

Y2K

While it overflows with nostalgic appeal — from fashion to technology to music and pop culture — this coming-of-age horror-comedy too often emphasizes being outrageous over being consistently funny or frightening. In 1999, on the brink of a suspected “global computer apocalypse,” some partying teenage nerds face a surreal fight for survival when their worst fears about the impending new millennium are realized. The directorial debut of actor Kyle Mooney is a mildly inventive and intermittently amusing lark that struggles to sustain a deeper rooting interest in these ragtag misfits as they navigate the film’s revisionist dystopian landscape. The cast includes Jaeden Martell, Rachel Zegler, and Julian Dennison. (Rated R, 93 minutes).

You Are Not Alone

Although it requires significant suspension of disbelief, this Spanish psychological thriller generates consistent tension and discomfort through its array of clever twists. Aitana (Roser Tapias) decides to surprise her family with an unannounced visit on Christmas Eve, along with her wife (Yapoena Silva) and adopted baby boy. However, with guests arriving for a fancy dinner, Aitana quickly realizes she’s not welcome, and that her parents have taken in a strange woman (Anna Kurikka) apparently to replace her. Her suspicions lead to a startling discovery. The film pushes the boundaries of narrative manipulation to withhold secrets, but the dynamics within its domestic power struggle are gripping. (Not rated, 99 minutes).