Capsule reviews for Feb. 6

Jimpa

Despite some richly textured performances and intriguing character dynamics, this earnest family drama about queer identity and acceptance from director Sophie Hyde (Good Luck to You, Leo Grande) becomes overwhelmed by heavy-handed sentimentality. Hannah (Olivia Colman) is an Australian filmmaker who travels to Amsterdam with her nonbinary teenager (Aud Mason-Hyde) to visit Hannah’s defiantly free-spirited father (John Lithgow), a flamboyant yet declining college professor who came out decades earlier. Their interaction renews subtle hostilities while opening the youngster’s eyes about labels and sexuality. While the film’s candidness about sexual fluidity and generational shifts is worthwhile, the well-intentioned but muddled script steers its subplots toward predictable catharsis. (Rated R, 113 minutes).

Pillion

Is it possible to have genuine romantic feelings beyond their psychological obsessions and sexual fetishes? That’s the question two men face in this bittersweet comedy that resonates with refreshing openness and heartfelt charm to overcome its wish-fulfillment fantasy contrivances. Colin (Harry Melling) is a timid singer who falls for alluring biker Ray (Alexander Skarsgard) mostly because of Colin’s willingness to submit to Ray’s dominance — both are turned on by Colin’s obedience to Ray’s sometimes humiliating demands. But when one of them wants to switch the arrangement, is their attraction sustainable? The committed performances complement a screenplay by rookie director Harry Lighton that’s both incisive and amusing. (Not rated, 107 minutes).

The President’s Cake

Layering melancholy charm into a powerful look at sociopolitical oppression and indoctrination in early 1990s Iraq, this coming-of-age drama is a quietly perceptive story of childhood innocence. It follows Lamia (Baneen Ahmed Nayyef), a precocious 9-year-old who “wins” a drawing at her school to bake a birthday cake for Saddam Hussein. But while accompanying her aging grandmother (Waheeda Thabet) and her beloved rooster to town for ingredients, her resourcefulness is tested by unexpected circumstances. Set amid a backdrop of military turmoil, the sharply observed debut of filmmaker Hasan Hadi occasionally strains credibility in its plotting, yet expressive performances lend a poignancy that resonates beyond its setting. (Rated PG-13, 105 minutes).

Teacher’s Pet

Between the shallow characters and the absurd twists, this low-budget suburban thriller never feels grounded in real-world fears and anxieties enough to generate consistent suspense. Clara (Michelle Torian) is a precocious Ivy League hopeful whose creative writing bonds her with a new teacher (Luke Barnett), although it soon becomes clear that there are ulterior motives behind his attention. As he becomes obsessed, Clara and a classmate (Clayton Royal Johnson) uncover sinister secrets about his past that threaten their futures. Requiring an outrageous suspension of disbelief, the film lacks subtlety and surprise while funneling toward a climactic confrontation that fails to earn a passing grade. (Not rated, 90 minutes).

Twisted

Perhaps it’s appropriate that this campy comedic thriller about a rogue brain surgeon feels like it has lost its mind. Among the unscrupulous characters are a millennial con artist (Lauren LaVera) and her friend (Mea Healey), who flip real estate they don’t own to unsuspecting buyers. But when a gleefully sadistic doctor and luxury apartment owner (Djimon Hounsou) becomes victimized by their scam, he seeks revenge in his operating room. As directed by Darren Lynn Bousman (Spiral), the film is more intent on amplifying gore than providing consistent laughs, although a majority of the cast doesn’t seem to realize it isn’t meant to be taken seriously. (Rated R, 93 minutes).

Whistle

Featuring characters whose deaths are more compelling than their lives, this lackluster supernatural horror flick from director Corin Hardy (The Nun) is strictly for gore-seeking genre devotees. A new girl (Dafne Keen) at a suburban high school finds a relic in her locker that’s revealed to be an ancient cursed whistle. She and her classmates discover too late that those who blow it can see into the future — specifically how they will meet their demise. Despite some scattered frights and creepy imagery, the central gimmick is never fully fleshed out. The same can be said for the oblivious yet resilient misfits who are dispatched on cue. (Rated R, 100 minutes).