Capsule reviews for May 6

Dark Horse

You don’t need to be an equine enthusiast to become captivated with this inspiring documentary about a group of working-class folks from a Welsh mining town who collectively breed a racehorse that becomes an unlikely steeplechase champion. Not only does the success of Dream Alliance allow some ordinary joes to infiltrate the stuffy upper crust of the sport of kings, but it helps bring hope to a village beset by socioeconomic woes. The approach of director Louise Osmond is straightforward, as she smartly allows the story of the quirky owners and their prized underdog gelding to tell itself. The resulting crowd-pleaser gallops to the finish line. (Rated PG, 85 minutes).

Dheepan

Heartfelt and topical, this compelling drama from director Jacques Audiard (A Prophet) examines the European immigrant experience through its title character (Jesuthasan Antonythasan), who flees war-torn Sri Lanka for Paris, taking along a makeshift family of two strangers to satisfy French authorities, allowing him to get a job as a caretaker in a rundown apartment complex. That’s where Dheepan reconnects with his violent past, which threatens his future. Although the action-packed finale gets carried away, the film is both sympathetic and even-handed. While gradually building tension, it succeeds most as an intimate and provocative look at refugee struggles given added emotional resonance by current events. (Rated R, 115 minutes).

Elstree 1976

Sci-fi enthusiasts might not even recognize some of the names and faces in this documentary about a handful of extras who worked on Star Wars four decades ago. Along with David Prowse, who manned the Darth Vader suit, they reminisce about being cast in what was then a small indie project, about their time on the set, and about the subsequent phenomenon. Some of them even have action figures and get paid for autographs at conventions. Amid some amusing tidbits, most of the anecdotes aren’t very compelling or insightful, and there’s not much else. The result is best enjoyed by hard-core aficionados and series completists. (Not rated, 97 minutes).

Mothers and Daughters

Both sets of women deserve better than this treacly collection of intertwined stories about coping with contemporary motherhood in New York, from a photographer (Selma Blair) dealing with an unplanned pregnancy to a fashion designer (Mira Sorvino) trying to track down the daughter she gave up for adoption to a college grad (Eva Amurri) dealing with a generally disapproving mom (Susan Sarandon). There’s no chance of genuine emotional investment in these characters amid the aggressively heavy-handed contrivances, trite platitudes and eye-rolling conflict resolutions, squandering any attempt to pay tribute to the real-life title characters. The ensemble cast includes Sharon Stone, Courteney Cox and Christina Ricci. (Rated PG-13, 91 minutes).