Capsule reviews for Sept. 26

Believe Me

This sharp if uneven satire about blind trust and the power of spiritual persuasion at least bucks the heavy-handed trend of recent faith-based films. It follows a college senior (Alex Russell) in need of some quick cash to pay bills before graduation. So he ropes three roommates into an unscrupulous scheme to exploit the church crowd by starting a fake charity and launching a cross-country tour to raise funds, then pocketing the profits. It leads to an inevitable epiphany, of course, and there’s not much subtlety or surprise along the way. But the film manages some consistent laughs as it pokes good-natured fun at religious gullibility. (Rated PG-13, 93 minutes).

Days and Nights

“It’s all so beautifully boring,” is a line of dialogue that accurately describes this loose adaptation of the Chekhov play “The Seagull,” set in New England during the 1980s and chronicling a reunion among members of an extended family at a rural estate during a holiday weekend, leading to considerable bickering and airing of dirty laundry about relationships and past secrets. Despite a talented ensemble cast that includes William Hurt, Allison Janney, Ben Whishaw, Katie Holmes, Cherry Jones and Christian Camargo — who makes his directorial debut — it’s difficult to invest emotionally in these lugubrious characters and their various avenues of depression and dysfunction. (Not rated, 91 minutes).

Good People

They might be good people, but they make a bad movie in the case of this generic thriller, which is set in London and follows cash-strapped Americans Tom (James Franco) and Anna (Kate Hudson), who discover a hidden duffel bag filled with cash following the death of their drug-dealing tenant. Following a crisis of conscience, they decide to keep the money, which draws interest from an investigator (Tom Wilkinson) and a vengeful crime boss (Omar Sy). There isn’t much subtlety or surprise, nor is there much effort by Danish director Henrik Ruben Genz (Terribly Happy), making his English-Language debut, to steer clear of genre formula. (Rated R, 90 minutes).

The Two Faces of January

The convergence of two superb writers creates a taut character-driven thriller in the directorial debut of screenwriter Hossein Amini (Drive), based on a novel by Patricia Highsmith (The Talented Mr. Ripley). It takes place in Greece, where a smooth-talking con man (Viggo Mortensen) and his younger wife (Kirsten Dunst) are forced to flee after being caught up in a murder, which entangles them with a tour guide (Oscar Isaac) whose motives are initially unclear. The exotic European locales and excellent performances are supplemented by a storyline filled with clever twists, albeit far-fetched at times, which amusingly emphasize the noir tendencies of the source material. (Rated PG-13, 96 minutes).

Two Night Stand

Some scattered big laughs can’t compensate for a series of romantic-comedy cliches in the directorial debut of Mike Nichols’ son Max. It follows lonely singles Megan (Analeigh Tipton) and Alec (Miles Teller), who meet online and endure a one-night stand that ends badly. But when a New York blizzard leaves them stranded in Alec’s apartment, they reluctantly agree to a do-over. Despite some spirited performances, their bickering grows tiresome as it leads to a predictable climax. There are plenty of cutesy contrivances, too — mostly centering on a missing plunger — making it feel more like a failed sitcom pilot than an insightful look at contemporary relationships. (Rated R, 86 minutes).