Capsule reviews for Oct. 30

Breeder

A gleefully twisted premise mates with a formulaic payoff in this moderately unsettling psychological thriller in which the creepy atmosphere doesn’t spawn consistent suspense. An award-winning poodle breeder (Dot-Marie Jones) invites a cash-strapped student (Daniel Doheny) to her rural ranch ostensibly to invest in his research project involving beehives. However, he realizes too late that he’s been lured there under false pretenses, forcing him to devise a plan for escape. Veteran character actress Jones (“Glee”) shines as the intimidating villain, but without any compelling periphery characters or meaningful subtext, the screenplay by director Alex Goyette becomes turns into a rather routine third-act genre exercise. (Rated R, 98 minutes).

Christmas at the Kringles

A wickedly subversive premise yields only intermittent laughs in this horror-infused holiday comedy from director Kevin Lewis (Willy’s Wonderland), which provides a healthy antidote to seasonal cheerfulness yet relies on relentless quirks rather than edgy satire. It follows a suburban dad (Ron Livingston) who becomes suspicious of a crypto-obsessed neighbor (Thomas Lennon) whose year-round Christmas obsession borders on cult behavior. Despite warnings from a mall Santa (Rob Riggle) and a middle-aged gamer (Donald Faison), his attempts to shield his family don’t yield the intended gifts. The talented cast does its best to elevate an incoherent screenplay that’s neither consistently amusing nor frightening, instead resembling stale fruitcake. (Rated R, 99 minutes).

Closure

Consistently allowing space to process its weighty emotions, this deliberately paced documentary is a quietly powerful look at grief, hope, purpose, and defiant optimism. It chronicles a parent’s worst nightmare through Daniel, a Polish father whose teenage son disappeared after last being seen on a bridge overlooking a river in Warsaw. Months later, with death a reasonably assumed outcome, Daniel and his wife remain obsessed with combing the water for answers — and helping others dealing with similarly tragic circumstances. Skillfully directed by Michal Marczak, the film is heartbreaking without wallowing in Daniel’s despair. We sympathize with his resourceful determination, even if it’s merely delaying the inevitable. (Not rated, 108 minutes).

Fatherland

Escaping the past can be more complicated than it seems, as illustrated by this well-acted and quietly provocative drama that immerses us into the sociopolitical turmoil of postwar Germany. Specifically, it’s set in 1949, when aging Nobel-winning writer Thomas Mann (Hanns Zischler) is touring the country for a series of speaking engagements and salutes while his daughter (Sandra Huller) begins questioning her own morals and allegiances, including within her own family. The formal black-and-white visuals are gorgeous, while the somewhat ambiguous screenplay by director Pawel Pawlikowski (Ida) is slight but impactful — layered with tension among characters trying to reconcile their ideals and navigate an uncertain future. (Not rated, 82 minutes).

The Mongoose

Liam Neeson drives the long road to nowhere in this formulaic crime thriller that awkwardly mixes a campy rural comedy with a heartfelt salute to underappreciated veterans. Neeson is behind the wheel, literally, as the suspect in a massive police chase whose backstory is detailed via flashbacks. Apparently suffering from PTSD from a combat tour and a subsequent divorce from his ex-wife (Marisa Tomei), he’s accused of murder. But is there more to the story? The directorial debut of longtime Neeson stunt double Mark Vanselow features some cool cars and driving sequences — along with Neeson’s usual growling gravitas — but its progressive absurdity derails any meaningful suspense. (98 minutes).

Queen at Sea

A wonderful cast brings depth to this emotionally devastating and morally complex British domestic drama about autonomy, devotion, mortality, and fragile family dynamics. Amanda (Juliette Binoche) is a university professor who walks in on her aging parents having sex. However, her mother (Anna Calder-Marshall) has advanced dementia and is unable to give consent. Amanda has her father (Tom Courtenay) arrested, which triggers unexpected legal complications tearing the marriage and family apart. Despite some mild contrivances and an ambiguous resolution that doesn’t provide easy catharsis, the screenplay by director Lance Hammer is a poignant, unflinching portrait of the price of caregiving and the value of human dignity. (Not rated, 121 minutes).