This week\u2019s minor VOD releases take journeys of self-discovery across Europe and the American South, along with explorations of immigrant rights, law-enforcement abuse, and erotic gamesmanship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Finding Lucinda<\/em><\/strong> (VOD September 9):<\/strong> Although it\u2019s generously soundtracked with her music, this documentary isn\u2019t really about Lucinda Williams. The alt-country legend serves as a focal point for the artistic journey of fellow singer-songwriter Avery Hellman, who travels to various locations associated with Williams\u2019 career and speaks to some of her peers and musical collaborators, culminating in a meeting with Williams herself. Hellman, who performs under the name Ismay, clearly feels a deep connection to Williams\u2019 work, and when they express that connection through music, it makes for some affecting moments. Hellman is much less effective as an interviewer, though, and their conversations with musicians like Charlie Sexton, Buddy Miller, and Mary Gauthier produce minimal insight. The meeting between Williams and Hellman is more awkward than affecting, but director Joel Fendelman generates enough goodwill that it\u2019s still endearing to see Hellman meet their idol. Hellman builds confidence in their own distinctive voice, and the movie demonstrates that these songs \u2014 both Williams\u2019 and Hellman\u2019s \u2014 can successfully speak for themselves. Grade: B-<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The Compatriots<\/em><\/strong> (VOD September 16):<\/strong> Just a year after its film-festival premiere, writer-director Spencer Cohen\u2019s dramedy about the struggles of an undocumented immigrant seems almost quaint, although its message remains timely. The plight of Peruvian-American college student Javi (Rafael Silva) is about more than just his legal status, and The Compatriots<\/em> isn\u2019t a political treatise. It\u2019s mostly a clumsy comedy about the gay Javi reconnecting with his high school best friend Hunter (Denis Shepherd), five years after an ill-advised attempted kiss led to their estrangement. The straight, privileged Hunter wants to make up for his knee-jerk homophobic reaction, while Javi just wants to make ends meet so he can stay in the country, finish school, and support his ailing father. To that end, Hunter eventually proposes a green-card marriage, but thankfully this isn\u2019t the indie version of I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry<\/em>. It\u2019s not much of anything else, unfortunately, with a shapeless, meandering plot, weak humor, sloppy social commentary, and performances that are more smarmy than sweet. Grade: C<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Hidden Face<\/em><\/strong> (VOD and DVD\/Blu-ray September 16):<\/strong> The 2011 Spanish-Colombian production The Hidden Face<\/em> has one of those high-concept set-ups that have been remade multiple times internationally, and this South Korean version is the sixth overall iteration. Director Kim Dae-woo, known for his erotically charged films, adds a welcome queer element to the story about a man connecting with a new lover after his partner leaves him under mysterious circumstances. It takes less than two weeks for orchestra conductor Sung-jin (Song Seung-heon) to move on from his absent cellist fianc\u00e9e Su-yeon (Parasite<\/em>\u2019s Cho Yeo-jeong) to seducing her professional replacement Mi-ju (Park Ji-hyun). What starts out as a steamy but relatively straightforward soap opera takes some wild turns as the plot doubles back to months earlier, revealing hidden connections among the players. Kim delivers consistent erotic jolts even when the story starts to drag, and the actors dig into their characters\u2019 duplicity, shifting viewers\u2019 sympathies with each outlandish development. Kim maintains that nasty streak all the way to the devious, kinky end. Grade: B+<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n