True Things (15)
Directed by Harry Wootliff
★★★

A BENEFIT claims officer finds herself heading into an intoxicating car-crash relationship after a chance encounter with a charismatic, blond stranger in this slow-burning sexual drama from co-writer-director Harry Wootliff.

Warned by her co-worker and friend (Hayley Squires) that becoming involved with a client is a sackable offence, thirty-something Kate (Ruth Wilson) can’t help but be swept away by Blond (Tom Burke), an ex-con who awakens her from her stupor.

Unfortunately, he stamps all over her self-esteem as quickly as he lifts it up. Though an intelligent woman, she begins to define herself through him in a tale sadly as old as time.

Based on Deborah Kay Davies’s novel, this is a complex, character-driven work about toxic relationships, elevated by Wilson and Burke’s stunning performances and sizzling chemistry.

The pair are exquisite to watch as they bring their characters to life, ending in a hopeful and satisfactory conclusion.

In cinemas

The Novice (15)
Directed by Lauren Hadaway
★★★★
 

THIS impressive debut feature by writer-director Lauren Hadaway paints a disturbing portrait of obsession and the quest for perfection, no matter the cost.

Isabelle Fuhrman delivers a virtuoso performance as Alex, a college freshman who joins her university’s rowing team and embarks on an extreme physical and psychological journey to make it into the top varsity boat.

On her dogmatic path to be the best, Alex has no qualms in alienating her teammates and pushing herself to her own limits and beyond, in order to achieve her goal.

She self-harms and starts hallucinating as she begins to lose her grip on reality, her obsessiveness becoming all consuming.

Hadaway’s bold direction and visceral visuals are heightened by Fuhrman’s remarkable and fierce performance, which provides an intriguing window into this cut-throat world. I can’t help thinking that life’s just too short.

In cinemas

Coppelia (U)
Directed by Jeff Tudor, Steven De Beul and Ben Tesseur
★★★

THIS enchanting and magical modern retelling of Coppelia uniquely combines delightful 2D and 3D animation, with live-action dance punctuated by an original score from Maurizio Malagnini performed by the BBC Concert Orchestra.

It is a bold and vibrant adaptation which breathes refreshing new life into this love story, addressing our increasingly image-conscious culture and our obsession with social media.

When the townspeople start falling under the spell of newly arrived charismatic cosmetic surgeon Dr Coppelius (Vito Mazzeo), who offers them all a makeover, Swan (Michaela DePrince) must save them as well as her sweetheart Franz (Daniel Camargo) from his clutches and that of his female robotic creation, Coppelia (Eric Horwood).

It is a wonderfully charming if a touch sinister ballet, with a formidable cast including Darcey Bussell, which will appeal to both youngsters and adults alike.

In cinemas

Morbius (15)
Directed by Daniel Espinosa
★★

IT IS hard to envisage a superhero film these days that isn’t an imaginative, emotionally complex, multi-layered, fun and riveting ride — but welcome to Morbius, the most “meh” comic book hero flick to date.

This is the origin story of a little-known character from Sony’s Marvel universe, Michael Morbius (Jared Leto), a biochemist who, in his attempts to cure himself from a rare blood disorder, inadvertently infects himself with a form of vampirism.

This transforms him from a sickly pale and thin individual crippled with pain into a ripped vamp with killer abs, super strength and speed — and a permatan worthy of Strictly Come Dancing.

Leto does his best to sink his teeth into this angst-ridden anti-hero, but he doesn’t have a lot to work with.

Meanwhile Matt Smith relishes his villainous turn as Milo, Dr Morbius’s childhood friend, who suffers from a similar blood disease but unlike Morbius embraces his new-found vampire powers with gusto and breathes some life into this baffling, lacklustre film.

In cinemas