Capsule reviews for July 11
Henry Golding and Beatrice Granno star in DANIELA FOREVER. (Photo: Well Go USA)
Abraham’s Boys
More tedious than frightening, this atmospheric slow-burn based on a short story by Joe Hill (The Black Phone) doesn’t inject much new life into the frequently explored Dracula mythology. It’s set 18 years after the count’s apparent death, when Abraham Van Helsing (Titus Welliver) and his family relocate to a rural California farmhouse for a fresh start. But his wife (Jocelin Donahue) is still dealing with hallucinations and brooding teenager Max (Brady Hepner) suspects that the evil family history has followed them. The film yields some haunting imagery, but the screenplay by director Natasha Kermani (Lucky) struggles to generate suspense before its inevitably violent climax. (Rated R, 89 minutes).
Amongst the Wolves
Offering a slightly fresh take on very familiar themes, this gritty if uneven Irish crime drama provides a worthwhile showcase for rising actor Luke McQuillan. He plays Danny, an ex-soldier now scarred by his checkered past while homeless on the streets of Dublin. Having lost everything, he remains determined to find a fresh start when he meets a wayward teenager (Daniel Fee) trying to escape trouble of his own, mainly the pursuit of a gangster (Aiden Gillen). Even if it wallows in genre tropes when transitioning into a more straightforward revenge thriller, McQuillan generates hard-earned sympathy in an evocative glimpse into life on Ireland’s socioeconomic margins. (Not rated, 102 minutes).
Daniela Forever
A committed performance by Henry Golding (Snake Eyes) elevates this offbeat science-fiction romance that offers a gimmicky exploration of grief and obsession. Golding plays Nicolas, a deejay who participates in a controversial sleep study involving “lucid dreams,” desperate to cling to a relationship with his artist girlfriend (Beatrice Granno) that ended in tragedy. But during the surreal odyssey that follows, Nicolas questions his own motives as he tries to manipulate the past instead of subconsciously revisiting it. The muddled screenplay by director Nacho Vigalondo (Open Windows) features an intriguing concept that yields plenty of questions, moral and otherwise, while leaving too many of them unanswered. (Rated R, 113 minutes).
Singing in My Sleep
Although its protagonist can carry a tune, this script for this formulaic drama about complicated family legacies and generational dynamics feels out of tune. It follows Charlotte (Jessica Belkin), an aspiring Los Angeles singer-songwriter still dealing with the abandonment of her late father and his enduring posthumous fame. As she reconciles her feelings while living with her bitter mother (Malin Akerman), Charlotte’s chance meeting with her dad’s second wife (Annie Ilonzeh) offers an opportunity for closure with the family she never knew. The heartfelt feature debut for director Nick Wilson crafts some intriguing character dynamics but relies too heavily on melodramatic contrivances and forced catharsis. (Not rated, 91 minutes).