Capsule reviews for Nov. 10

The Dirty South

It’s difficult to tell whether this Deep South crime thriller is merely indulging in genre tropes or trying to subvert them, but it’s not particularly effective either way. Small-town bartender Sue (Willa Holland) resorts to desperate measures to save her family’s bankrupt Mississippi watering hole from foreclosure at the hands of a greedy and vengeful opportunist (Dermot Mulroney). The key could be an uneasy alliance with a drifter (Shane West) that spirals into a maze of deception, betrayal, and violence. From the characters to the setting, the twisty screenplay by Matthew Yerby feels more familiar than fresh. Emotional depth becomes lost in the shuffle. (Not rated, 107 minutes).

Kane

Brooding and macho posturing surpasses action and suspense in this derivative Australian crime thriller that takes itself much too seriously. Among the rogues and mobsters trying to survive the streets is Benny (Clayton Watson), whose allegiance is tested to crime boss Abe (Jeremy Lindsay Taylor), who has multiple personality disorder. When a showdown with Frankie (Nathan Phillips) brings out the most erratic of Abe’s alter-egos, it loyalties to shift and motives to be questioned. The screenplay by rookie director Blair Moore spends so many expository sequences trying to build sympathy for characters who never seem realistic, let alone empathetic. It’s all been done better elsewhere. (Rated R, 79 minutes).

Manodrome

Muddled rather than provocative, this aimless drama about toxic masculinity and related ideologies is more compelling in the setup than the payoff. Neurotic and unemployed, Ralph (Jesse Eisenberg) crumbles under self-imposed pressure to support a family with his pregnant girlfriend (Odessa Young). So he starts popping pills and eventually meets Dan (Adrien Brody), who steers Ralph toward an underground society of alpha males that sends him into a downward spiral of violence. Eisenberg’s intense yet understated portrayal boosts the screenplay by South African director John Trengove (The Wound), which relies on exaggerations and contrivances rather than fresh insight, limiting the urgency or deeper emotional impact. (Rated R, 95 minutes).

A Place in the Field

No matter how heartfelt, this modest character-driven drama feels more familiar than fresh in examining military sacrifice, and coping with PTSD. That combines with grief and guilt to drive the melancholic odyssey of Gio (Don DiPetta), who becomes withdrawn after returning home from the front lines. A chance at redemption comes when his fallen comrade’s ashes arrive with a final wish — sending Gio on a road trip with a close friend (Khorri Ellis) to rediscover himself. Rookie director Nicole Mejia stages some impactful moments to generate sympathy along Gio’s therapeutic journey. Yet the uneven film lacks the subtlety and nuance to sustain a deeper emotional resonance. (Rated R, 83 minutes).

This Much We Know

With its intentionally ironic title, this documentary raises questions that are impossible to answer. It can be frustrating to sort through the incoherent rambling, but this melancholy essay about processing trauma and finding closure is powerfully intimate and universally resonant. Rookie director Lily Henderson was still grieving the suicide of a close friend when she read about a Las Vegas teenager who jumped to his death from the tower of the Stratosphere hotel. So she decided to investigate the incident and the city’s alarming suicide rates. Even if the film bogs down in conspiracy theories, it’s more about how our troubled minds tend to warp reality. (Not rated, 109 minutes).

Your Lucky Day

Claiming to be “based on the American Dream,” this gritty low-budget thriller instead is based on stock characters and far-fetched twists. It’s set in a convenience store on a wintry night when a winning lottery ticket leads to an armed robbery and hostage situation that quickly spirals out of control involving a desperate loner (Angus Cloud), a store clerk (Mousa Hussein Kraish), a pregnant woman (Jessica Garza), her pianist boyfriend (Elliot Knight), and some corrupt cops. While scrutinizing how capitalistic greed fuels socioeconomic desperation, the screenplay by rookie director Dan Brown doesn’t sustain its tension or develop sufficient emotional investment amid the contrived chaos. (Rated R, 89 minutes).