Capsule reviews for May 23

Jane Austen Wrecked My Life

Refreshing the formula of the titular author with a millennial sensibility, this French romantic comedy is stylish and charming enough to overcome its conventions. It chronicles the misadventures of Agathe (Camille Rutherford), who works in a Parisian bookstore while harboring her own writing dreams. Meanwhile, her neurotic quirks have scuttled her relationships, prompting her to drift into a fantasy world. When she’s given the opportunity to refine her craft at an Austen writing residency in England, Agathe finds parallels in her own life. Although not especially edgy or subversive, the screenplay by rookie director Laura Piani offers some clever tweaks that should amuse genre aficionados. (Rated R, 97 minutes).

Restless

With a harrowing scenario that might hit close to home — literally — this character-driven British thriller simmers with tension, even if some second-half exaggerations diminish its credibility. Nicky (Lyndsey Marshal) is an overworked and underpaid nurse in a seaside town who enjoys quiet solitude at home. But when some raucous new neighbors won’t stop their loud parties, and Nicky’s attempt to confront the issue herself only yields more frustration, her life spirals hopelessly into paranoia, obsession, and revenge. The tightly wound screenplay by rookie director Jed Hart generates sympathy without providing convenient answers to its tricky moral dilemmas. But it also doesn’t take itself too seriously. (Not rated, 89 minutes).

10 Lives

While the feline protagonist keeps cheating death, his human companions in this thinly sketched British animated comedy are barely brought to life. It follows Beckett (voiced by Mo Gilligan), a lazy and conniving cat who gains the affection of a lonely student (Simone Ashley) working on a bee conservation project with her professor (Bill Nighy). When Beckett’s ninth life ends with a freak accident, however, he appeals for another chance — for which a chance at redemption comes with a precarious twist. The film is innocuous enough for kids, who should enjoy the mildly amusing animal antics. However, the story struggles to gain the intended emotional traction. (Not rated, 88 minutes).