MOVIES

Charlize Theron in 'Tully,' Anna Faris in 'Overboard' and more new movies

Chris Foran
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Charlize Theron is a stressed-out mom whose perspective is changed when she receives a gift - a nanny named "Tully."

'Tully'

A mom gets a gift that gives more than she expected in "Tully." 

The mom in the movie — directed by Jason Reitman and written by Diablo Cody, who also teamed up for "Juno" and "Young Adult" — is played by Oscar winner Charlize Theron. A mother of three including a newborn, she's at the end of her rope when she receives an unexpected present from her better-off brother: a nanny named Tully (Mackenzie Davis) who brings more than Theron bargained for. 

Mark Duplass plays Theron's brother; Ron Livingston is her often-distracted husband. 

But judging from the reviews, "Tully" is clearly Theron's show. 

"Theron reaches deep and sells every scene she’s in (which is pretty much all of them) with conviction, desperation, yearning exhaustion, and, yes, even humor," Entertainment Weekly critic Chris Nashawaty wrote in his B-plus review for "Tully." " … In our society, there’s something almost transgressive in speaking up and admitting that motherhood is hard and occasionally unrewarding when everyone is quick to point out what a 'blessing' it is. Being honest about that — especially in a product of the Hollywood dream factory — feels almost taboo. But it shouldn’t be. Maybe that’s why Theron’s performance feels as jumpy and dangerous as a downed power line." 

"Tully" is rated R for language, and some sexuality and nudity. It runs for 94 minutes.  

Eugenio Derbez plays a spoiled rich man who, after losing his memory to a bump on the head, gets a surprise when he meets his "wife" (Anna Faris) and "family" in "Overboard."

'Overboard' 

Eugenio Derbez is a selfish, rich playboy from Mexico's wealthiest family. How selfish? After refusing to pay one of the cleaning crew who's brought in to tidy up his yacht, he tosses her machine into the bay. 

So when he falls overboard, too, and loses his memory, she (Anna Faris) poses as his wife and brings him back "home," forcing him to see how the other half lives by convincing him he's part of that same half. 

If it sounds familiar, it is: "Overboard" is a remake of the 1987 comedy starring Kurt Russell as the conniving single parent and Goldie Hawn as the spoiled rich brat. It's also the latest crossover comedy starring Derbez, one of Mexico's biggest stars, after acquitting himself in likable border-crossing comedies such as "How to Be a Latin Lover" and "Instructions Not Included." 

Eva Longoria, Mel Rodriquez and John Hannah co-star. 

"Overboard" is rated PG-13 for suggestive material, some language and partial nudity. It runs for 112 minutes.

'Bad Samaritan' 

Sometimes you think you have a good thing working, it turns ugly in a hurry. 

Exhibit A: the two hustlers in "Bad Samaritan." They've turned their job as valets at a local restaurant into a passport to rob the customers while they're dining — using their cars to do it. That is, until one of the thieves goes into one customer's house and discovers a woman being held captive there. 

He flees, fearing he'll get in trouble, but when he changes his mind and calls the police, they find nothing. But then the kidnapper decides he wants to find him. 

Action/disaster-movie producer Dean Devlin directed "Bad Samaritan," which stars David Tennant as the kidnapper and Robert Sheehan as the remorseful thief. 

"Bad Samaritan" is rated R for violence, pervasive language, some drug use and brief nudity. It runs for 107 minutes. 

Queen Victoria (Judi Dench, left) receives counsel from Abdul Karim (Ali Fazal), an Indian clerk who becomes the queen's confidant in "Victoria & Abdul."

Milwaukee Muslim Film Festival

The fourth annual film festival, organized by the Milwaukee Muslim Women's Coalition, winds down this weekend with two very different movies. 

"Victoria & Abdul," about the friendship between aging Queen Victoria (Judi Dench) and a young Indian Muslim clerk (Ali Fazal), is showing at 7 p.m. Friday at Marquette University's Weasler Auditorium, 1506 W. Wisconsin Ave.; and 2 p.m. Sunday at UWM Union Cinema, 2200 E. Kenwood Blvd. 

"Arranged" follows the friendship evolving between two female teachers, one Muslim and the other Orthodox Jewish, who are both entering arranged marriages. It's at UWM Union Cinema at 7 p.m. Monday. 

Admission to both movies is free. 

Info: mmfilmfest.com 

RELATED:6 film festivals in Milwaukee worth checking out in April

Gene Wilder (center, with Oompa Loompas) stars as the title candy man in "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory."

Best bets for off-the-grid movies  

"Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory": Milwaukee's own Gene Wilder is the idiosyncratic candy man in this beloved 1971 musical, laden with more inside jokes than anything this side of Monty Python. Showing at noon Sunday, 7 p.m. Monday and 7 p.m. Wednesday at Marcus Theatres' Bistroplex Southridge and Hillside, Majestic, Menomonee Falls, North Shore, Ridge and South Shore cinemas. Tickets are $5. Info: marcustheatres.com.  

"Bottle Rocket": Director Wes Anderson's first movie was this 1996 indie about some hapless friends who plan a foolproof robbery that isn't so much foolproof. Owen Wilson, Luke Wilson and James Caan star in this entry in the Almost Midnight series at the Downer Theatre, 2589 N. Downer Ave., showing at 11:59 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Tickets are $8.50. Info: landmarktheatres.com/milwaukee.  

"Lesser Beasts": A festival-circuit thriller centered on entwining mysteries, filmed in Milwaukee by Casey T. Malone. 7 p.m. Thursday at Times Cinema, 5906 W. Vliet St. $10. Info: timescinema.com. 

Zen Film Festival: This festival, the ninth annual, showcases films made by student artists in the Zen and the Art of Filmmaking class at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Showing at 7 p.m. Tuesday at UWM Union Cinema, 2200 E. Kenwood Blvd. Admission is free. Info: cinema.uwm.edu. 

"Magic Mike": Channing Tatum plays a stripper who gets caught up in the bright lights and G-strings of exotic dancing in Florida in Steven Soderbergh's smarter-than-it-sounds-and-looks dark 2012 comedy-drama, inspired by Tatum's own experiences on the, um, circuit. Matthew McConaughey is electric as Tatum's charismatic mentor, in an eye-candy cast that also includes Matthew Bomer, Joe Manganiello, Olivia Munn and Alex Pettyfer. Showing on 35-millimeter film at 7 p.m. Friday and 5 p.m. Saturday at UWM Union Cinema, 2200 E. Kenwood Blvd. $5, free for UWM students and Union Cinema members. Info: cinema.uwm.edu. 

Matthew McConaughey co-stars in "Magic Mike."