Capsule reviews for April 17

Amrum

Structurally efficient and quietly powerful, this coming-of-age drama from German filmmaker Fatih Akin (In the Fade) is a tender glimpse into indoctrination, blind allegiance, and ideological awakening through the eyes of an impressionable 12-year-old boy. It’s set in Hamburg in the days after Hitler’s downfall in 1945, when Nanning (Jasper Billerbeck) ventures out to get food for her crestfallen Nazi mother (Laura Tonke), resulting in some eye-opening encounters that suggest his beliefs are on the wrong side of history. Adapted from filmmaker Hark Bohm’s book and driven by Billerbeck’s expressive portrayal, the film’s exploration of childhood innocence avoids heavy-handed sentimentality while carrying a haunting contemporary resonance. (Not rated, 93 minutes).

Blue Heron

The notion of childhood innocence conveys a bittersweet resonance in this deeply personal Canadian drama from rookie director Sophy Romvari, which intimately examines memories and fragile family bonds. The semiautobiographical story is told mostly through the eyes of precocious 8-year-old Sasha (Eylul Guven), the youngest child in a Hungarian immigrant family that relocates to Vancouver during the late 1990s. While home movies depict an idyllic and stable life, increasingly dangerous behavior by Sasha’s oldest brother (Edik Beddoes) threatens to destroy their fresh start and tear them apart. Emphasizing mood over plot, the film is quietly unassuming yet cumulatively powerful without providing an easy path to catharsis. (Not rated, 91 minutes).

Brothers Under Fire

While offering a worthwhile salute to military camaraderie and unsung heroes, this derivative action saga from director Justin Chadwick (Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom) settles for far-fetched contrivances away from the front lines. It chronicles an Army squadron on leave from Middle East to attend the wedding of a soldier (Tommy Martinez) in his Mexican hometown. But the celebration turns tragic when cartel members crash the ceremony. After losing one of their own, the captain (Kiefer Sutherland) plots revenge to eradicate violence from the village. Despite some intermittent thrills, the film struggles to generate any meaningful suspense with its thinly sketched characters and narrative predictability. (Not rated, 99 minutes).

Eagles of the Republic

Although its satirical barbs are hit-and-miss, this slick conspiracy thriller from Swedish director Tarik Saleh (The Nile Hilton Incident) is mildly provocative and consistently intriguing. It tackles the thorny issue of government propaganda masquerading as art by following George (Fares Fares), a fictional Egyptian actor coerced into starring in a biopic commissioned by the country’s real-life president. Once he accepts the role and becomes immersed in the authoritarian regime, it triggers a downward spiral partially of his own doing. The tonally ambitious film is uneven in stretches yet benefits from its sociopolitical ambitions and a skillfully modulated performance by Fares, a frequent collaborator with Saleh. (Not rated, 129 minutes).

Erupcja

Intriguing relationship dynamics add subtle layers to this understated romantic drama from director Pete Ohs (Jethica) that incisively explores commitment and connections. It’s set in Warsaw, where British couple Bethany (Charli XCX) and Rob (Will Madden) retreat for a weekend. It was Bethany’s idea, and Rob is ready to propose. But after a party, Bethany renews an old friendship with a Polish florist (Lena Gora) and seems uncertain about the future. And the timing with a volcanic eruption in Italy seems curious. Taking advantage of its unique visual backdrop, the film’s semi-improvisational style enables the actors to inject emotional urgency into the otherwise laconic narrative approach. (Not rated, 71 minutes).

Everyone Is Lying to You for Money

You don’t need an economics degree to sense that cryptocurrency is an elaborate scam, but this documentary from actor Ben McKenzie (“The O.C.”) reinforces that theory in amusing and infuriating fashion. McKenzie channels Michael Moore in trying to expose the Bitcoin system as fraudulent and take down prominent executives who have since resigned in disgrace or been imprisoned. His crusade also involves rich investors and celebrity spokespeople immune to working-class risks, and social-media influencers peddling advice for clicks. McKenzie’s directorial debut sprinkles self-deprecating humor to keep the material from becoming too depressing, while the film persuasively cuts through the hype for those willing to listen. (Not rated, 90 minutes).

Fireflies at El Mozote

Heartfelt ambition gives way to heavy-handed execution in this true-life saga that offers a formulaic retelling of a violent chapter in the history of El Salvador. It’s set during a brutal civil war in the early 1980s, chronicling resistance fighters during the aftermath of a massacre in a small village near the Honduran border. A government militia targeted the town because of an underground rebel-operated radio station, which would jeopardize American aid if the truth was discovered, leaving few survivors. The emotionally hollow screenplay by the late director Ernesto Melara lacks sufficient historical insight and sociopolitical context while too often settling for generic action-movie tropes. (Not rated, 99 minutes).

Lorne

Strictly for “Saturday Night Live” completists, this breezy documentary about the enigmatic creator of the venerable sketch-comedy standard-bearer goes behind the scenes yet keeps its subject at a frustrating distance. Lorne Michaels grants director Morgan Neville (20 Feet to Stardom) a rare in-depth interview and unprecedented access into the late-night show he’s ruled for more than 50 years. And it helps to have amusing soundbites from top-tier “SNL” alumni like Tina Fey, Jimmy Fallon, Mike Myers, Chris Rock, and Steve Martin. Yet the film overall seems content to pay tribute to Michaels and his accomplishments rather than creating a well-rounded portrait with fresh insight for outsiders. (Rated R, 101 minutes).

Mile End Kicks

A sense of heartfelt authenticity pulses throughout this nostalgic portrait of personal and professional empowerment from Canadian director Chandler Levack (Roommates), keeping it from bogging down in angst-ridden millennial cliches. Music journalist Grace (Barbie Ferreira) heads to Montreal for the summer to work on a book about the cultural influence of Alanis Morissette, but instead makes a mess of the opportunity by becoming involved with the lead singer (Stanley Simons) and guitarist (Devon Bostick) of a rising indie-rock band. Levack’s screenplay wraps everything up too neatly in the end, although by embracing the self-inflicted and predetermined obstacles in Grace’s coming-of-age journey, it becomes more relatable. (Rated R, 105 minutes).

Wasteman

A powerfully understated performance by David Jonsson (The Long Walk) elevates this gritty yet conventional British prison drama from rookie director Cal McMau above its third-act contrivances. Jonsson plays a junkie trying to bide his time until an imminent early release, with the goal of reconciling with his teenage son and starting fresh. However, a loose-cannon new cellmate (Tom Blyth) threatens those goals by luring him into a violent power struggle. Although the screenplay lacks contextual depth and offers only a surface-level exploration of England’s troubled incarceration system, the volatile chemistry between the two leads helps to sustain tension and fuel a rooting interest. (Not rated, 90 minutes).