Self Control

THE MISEDUCATION OF CAMERON POST (B+) - Chloe Grace Moretz turns in a strong performance as a 1990s teen dispatched to a Christian conversion camp for gay teens.  This is Desiree Akhavan's long-awaited follow-up to her perfect debut, "Appropriate Behavior," and she mostly shrugs off the threat of a sophomore slump.

Akhavan strays into After-School Special territory here (especially with the period setting) but she has a sharp point of view, and she carves out distinct characters that serve a talented cast well. Moretz ("Clouds of Sils Maria," "Laggies") plays it cool as Cameron, who gets caught at prom making our with her best friend, Coley (Quinn Shepherd), and gets shipped off to the lame camp, run by a wimpy chief counselor, Reverend Rick (John Gallagher Jr. from "Short Term 12"), and his creepy sister, Dr. Lydia (Jennifer Ehle).

Akhavan also avoids the cliches of teenage homosexuality and queerness, recruiting strong young actors in the process.  Forrest Goodluck, Sasha Lane and Emily Skeggs (playing wonderfully repressed) all carve out their own corners in the horrorscape that is Christian conversion camp. Akhavan doesn't quite ratchet up the tension like she could, but her tale here offers a glimmer of hope for the future that we now live in.

BETWEEN US (B) - Another sophomore effort (from Rafael Palacio Illingworth) takes a clear-eyed snapshot of a young couple panicking over the make-or-break decision staring them in the face: commit forever and wed, or defy the onslaught of monogamy and break up.

Ben Feldman (TV's "Mad Men") and Olivia Thirlby ("Nobody Walks") go all-in as the restless couple. Each one is tested by outsiders who represent their attractive ideal: Henry falls for sexy artsy Veronica (Annaleigh Tipton from "Two Night Stand"), and Dianne weakens in the presence of a client, the dull but conventionally handsome Robert (Scott Haze) before a bad boy (the always welcome Adam Goldberg) cuts the line. Alcohol lubricates both potential cheating scenarios.

Illingworth employs intimate intense close-ups to insinuate his camera into the relationships, and his raw edits give this a jangly feel. The script is smart, and this doesn't always go in the direction you might expect, keeping us on our toes to the very last shot. It can be clunky and strained at times, but it is served well by a strong guiding hand and above-average performances from a talented cast.