Capsule reviews for Sept. 23

A Bird of the Air

Two loners are brought together by a sarcastic parrot in this character-driven drama about Lyman (Jackson Hurst), a tow-truck driver on the graveyard shift who becomes fascinated with a mysterious bird that spouts obscure Bible verses. He wants to find the owner of the parrot, a search that allows him to open up to a librarian (Rachel Nichols) while confronting secrets from his past. Actress Margaret Whitton shows some visual style in her directorial debut, but the script by Roger Towne (The Natural) becomes muddled amid all the spiritual mumbo-jumbo to allow its characters to connect with the audience. (Not rated, 98 minutes)

Shit Year

Perhaps it’s too easy to declare that the first part of the title sums up the movie, but this experimental black-and-white meditation on fame and fulfillment from director Cam Archer (Wild Tigers I Have Known) is unfocused at best and ill-conceived at worst. Ellen Barkin does offer a bold performance as a cynical washed-up actress who starts hallucinating after she gives up her celebrity status by retreating into seclusion. But the fragmented film lacks coherence, often asking viewers to fill in the narrative blanks in a way that feels more lazy than provocative. (Not rated, 95 minutes)

Toast

Bittersweet British coming-of-age story is based on the memoir of Nigel Slater (Oscar Kennedy), whose discoveries as a young boy included a love for cooking, a fondness for men, and a sadness when he learns the truth about his mother’s terminal illness. The first half of the film maintains a modest charm as it chronicles Nigel’s relationship with his overbearing father (Ken Stott). Then it becomes wildly unfocused when a teenage Nigel (Freddie Highmore) clashes with the new housekeeper (Helena Bonham Carter) who seduces the widower. Some good acting gets lost in the resulting wreckage. (Not rated, 96 minutes)