Personality Types

THREE IDENTICAL STRANGERS (B+) - This is a fantastic subject, and filmmaker works his ass off telling the story of three identical triplets separated at birth when put up for adoption and who improbably found each other at age 19, having grown up within 100 miles of each other. There are layers to this story, and we won't ruin the twists and turns. But you can tell early on that something wasn't right with the adoption agency involved in the placement of Jewish children in the 1960s.

Two of the brothers appear in present day to help unravel the tale. Wardle walks a fine line between delving deep and beating a dead horse. He repeats key visuals (the rhymes among the triplets), straining for effect and threatening to wear out his welcome (though the film, at 96 minutes, is never sluggish). This plays like an old-fashioned whodunit, and the boys have personality to burn, both in their giddy youth and now in their slump-shouldered and baggy-eyed middle age.

Many interesting characters pass through, and it's often a hoot, even if, by the end, you're troubled by the picture of humanity you are left with. The movie normally would have rated a bit higher, but points off for overuse of dramatic re-enactments.

BAD REPUTATION (B) - A fun but fawning trip back to the '70s with Ur-Riot Grrl Joan Jett, whose tenacity helped her break through the male-dominated world of rock 'n' roll and set her up as a mentor for future generations of alt-rockers. Don't expect big revelations or a deep dive into what makes her tick. This covers the greatest hits, starting with the Runaways, the groundbreaking all-girl rock group in the '70s. But don't expect an expose into the antics of creepy manager Kim Fowley; here he's just a colorful character, not a predator.

The best parts feature younger musicians like Bikini Kill's Kathleen Hanna and Minor Threat's Ian MacKaye praising her and thanking her for her inspiration. We also get plenty of cute scenes between Jett and Kenny Laguna, the masterful bubblegum popmeister whose songwriter helped propel her most fertile period and who now serves as her nagging housemate. (There's no mention of Jett's private life or romantic partners, though she and Laguna bicker like an old married couple.)

This is a fun romp, and homage is paid, but we never get to get more than skin deep with this swaggering legend.

THE WORKSHOP (C) - Chatter and menace mix poorly in this French study of disaffected youth. In particular, it's an alt-right young man peeing in the punch at a gathering of students at a writing workshop. The kid is overly sullen and deliberately provocative. For some reason, this appeals to his teacher, who indulges him at the expense of his diverse classmates. The talk is endless, yielding diminishing returns. If this were an American movie from the last century, teacher and student would have banged by the end of the first act. But this is a French film, so they chit-chat instead. I've said it before, but young men are not interesting; young women have far more to offer the plot of a movie. This one spins its wheels.

BONUS TRACK
Joan Jett with her cover of the Replacements' "Androgynous":