ENDURING LOVE
R, 96 mins.

Some novels were never meant to be movies, among them Ian McEwan’s “Enduring Love.” Director Roger Michell tries his superficial best to make this picture work. He’s cast it well, with Daniel Craig, Samantha Morton, Rhys Ifans, and Bill Nighy in the major roles. And thanks to Haris Zambarloukos’s grainy cinematography, the film has atmosphere. It also has one of those edgy scores (by Jeremy Sams, in this case) that insists you’re watching something of consequence.

But like most things that announce their importance, this movie isn’t nearly as thought-provoking as it aims to be. Mr. Michell would have us question the nature of love – is it selfless or selfish? – and its purpose. But because the director favors style over substance, his film is ultimately just another variation on the “Fatal Attraction” model.

“Enduring Love” opens with a hot-air balloon careering above picnickers Joe (Mr. Craig) and Claire (Ms. Morton). Joe and others unsuccessfully try to tether it, and in the attempt, a man dies. Later, one of the would-be rescuers, Jed (Mr. Ifans), declares his love for Joe. At first, Joe is puzzled – then put off, annoyed, angry, and finally unhinged by Jed’s relentless pursuit. Strangely, Claire doesn’t sympathize with Joe, but instead grows to resent him.

The final showdown can’t come fast enough, for in addition to his other pretensions, Mr. Michell clearly believes that telling a story slowly and deeply are one in the same.

– David Mermelstein

IT’S ALL ABOUT LOVE
unrated, 104 mins.

Thomas Vinterberg’s “It’s All About Love” is the kind of folly that really aches to be seen. This crazy, grand disaster of a film holds more interest than a dozen more competent, but somehow lesser, films.

Nominally, “It’s All About Love” is the story of an estranged married couple, John (Joaquin Phoenix) and Elena (Clare Danes), a famous ice skater. Arriving in New York to sign their divorce papers, in the year 2021, John discovers things aren’t well in Elena’s world. Her overprotective, wealthy family relies on her for their business interests. Elena asks John to help her escape, and as they flee, their love is rekindled.

But Mr. Vinterberg’s film is as much about his dystopian, surreal vision of the world as it is about love. Hence we get various unexplained, ominous phenomena: Ugandan villagers float mysteriously through the air, snowstorms hit the Mediterranean in summer, Sean Penn sports a Polish accent.

It’s hard not to feel some affection for Mr. Vinterberg’s kitschy ambition, especially considering the film is made with such skill. This is an apocalyptic love poem first, a movie second.

– Bilge Ebiri

A SILENT LOVE
unrated, 100 mins.

“A Silent Love” is a modest little Canadian feature that begins with middle-aged professor Norman (Noel Burton) traveling to Mexico to meet up with Gladys (Vanessa Bauche), a potential Internet bride. Their arrangement is fraught with problems. Gladys and her mother (Susana Salazar) move to Montreal with Norman. He and the mother begin to find themselves drawn toward each other – they are, after all, closer in age.

The story is a moral minefield, but Federico Hidalgo handles his characters’ shortcomings without cheap didacticism or pat resolutions. There is a fine, literate sensibility at work here. But, oddly enough, “A Silent Love” is almost too gentle with its characters. Such noble intentions prevent the film from building up a head of dramatic steam; lacking much tension, the film just drifts along with little purpose.

– Bilge Ebiri

MALEVOLENCE
R, 95 mins.

More frightening and far more engaging than last week’s “The Grudge” is Stevan Mena’s “Malevolence.” Directly influenced by John Carpenter’s original “Halloween” in more ways than one, it suffers from a slow first half-hour and an unfortunately superfluous 15-minute epilogue that derails it from being a real winner. But there is a 30 minute period in between that is edge-of-seat good, and reminds why, aside perhaps from jazz, the low-budget indie horror film is America’s truest and greatest original art form.

Julian (Brandon Johnson) and Marylin (Heather Magee) have run into money woes, and decide to go along with Marylin’s brother Max (Keith Chambers), a freshly released ex-con, and his partner Kurt (Richard Glover) on a bank robbery. The robbery goes awry however, and the quartet splits up, planning to regroup at an abandoned house in the country. On his way, Kurt hijacks an SUV carrying Samantha (Samantha Dark) and her daughter Courtney (Courtney Bertolone). Arriving at the house first, Kurt ties up his hostages, but when Courtney escapes, Kurt chases after her, little-knowing that in the area lives a deranged machete wielding psychopath who takes pleasures in gutting those with whom he crosses paths.

For too long, this unnamed killer sits around and watches his prey converse, like a Greek chorus. But once the body count begins to rise, Mr. Mena presents a genuinely good, and frightening experience. “Malevolence” is hit-or-miss, but proves a very promising debut.

– Eddie Goldberger