Capsule reviews for Dec. 12

After the Fall

The plight of the contemporary middle class is examined with a half-hearted sincerity in this directorial debut of veteran editor Saar Klein (The Bourne Identity), which follows a mild-mannered insurance adjuster (Wes Bentley) who has settled into a comfortable suburban life with his wife (Vinessa Shaw) and two kids when a sudden layoff triggers a downward spiral. Rather than inform his family, he cynically abandons his moral compass and becomes a ruthless criminal. There are hints along the way of the socioeconomic strife that Klein wants to explore, yet they become lost in a muddled screenplay that doesn’t establish sympathy for its protagonist or his plight. (Rated R, 110 minutes).

The Captive

Considering the talent on both sides of the camera, this child-abduction thriller from director Atom Egoyan (The Sweet Hereafter) lacks the depth and conviction it deserves. It examines the case of a distraught father (Ryan Reynolds), whose daughter is kidnapped from their wintry Canadian town, with the corresponding guilt putting a strain on his marriage. Rather than a mystery, it’s more of a character study that follows both the police investigator (Rosario Dawson) and the sadistic captor (Kevin Durand) whose motive is never really clear. While that premise is provocative, the narrative structure proves to be little more than a gimmick masking the lurid melodrama. (Rated R, 112 minutes).

Free the Nipple

As an attempt to promote grassroots advocacy, this low-budget drama feels shallow and takes itself too seriously. But it works just fine as an excuse to see plenty of topless women. The film is inspired by the titular true-life feminist movement, telling the fictional story of a fledgling journalist (Lina Esco) who joins a group of uninhibited New York women fighting to decriminalize sexuality by baring their breasts in public places. Esco, who also wrote and directed the film, allows the leading ladies to have a carefree camaraderie, yet the film insists on portraying them as civil-rights crusaders, which is laughable considering their trivial cause. (Not rated, 84 minutes).

Maidan

This verite documentary provides insight into the ongoing political unrest in Ukraine by turning its cameras on a civil uprising in Kiev that helped oust Victor Yanukovich as president in early 2014. The use of long and static takes (without narration) by director Sergei Loznitsa feels both simple and ambitious, allowing patient viewers to watch the action unfold. The film puts human faces on a conflict that might seem trivial or confusing in other parts of the world. And despite its lack of context and repetitive structure, it goes behind the headlines to form a powerful and even-handed examination of grassroots activism that transcends cultural boundaries. (Not rated, 129 minutes).

Skating to New York

Any meaningful sense of adventure is chilled by an emphasis on domestic strife in this wildly uneven Canadian coming-of-age drama, which chronicles five teenage hockey players who get bored or frustrated with their mundane small-town lives, so they impulsively attempt to skate across frozen Lake Ontario without telling any adults or bringing proper supplies. That decision leads to the expected moments of bonding and self-discovery, along with the obligatory life-threatening dangers. The directorial debut of veteran cinematographer Charles Minsky (Pretty Woman) is heartfelt but lacking in subtlety and surprise, and a couple of clumsy subplots compromise any potential suspense or authenticity. No goals scored here. (Rated PG-13, 93 minutes).