“We Broke Up”
What You Need to Know: While there’s plenty of reasons to believe the deconstructed romantic comedy “We Broke Up” will be a fine film, the greatest pull is the two incredible leads who, in their own series, delivered two of the strongest performances in sitcoms of the last decade. Aya Cash of “You’re the Worst” and William Jackson Harper from “The Good Place” are two performers who deserve further recognition, and while “We Broke Up” doesn’t look like it will be stretching any of their considerable acting muscles, it will hopefully introduce them to people who don’t know them from their biggest roles to date. The two play Lori and Doug, a longtime couple who have broken up days before Lori’s little sister’s wedding, and, in order to not disrupt the fun, they decide to pretend to stay together until the weekend is over. The film is directed by Jeff Rosenberg and co-stars Sarah Bolger and Larisa Oleynik.
What You Need to Know: April 23 in theaters and on-demand.
“Mortal Kombat”
What You Need to Know: Maybe it’s the need to feel like we’re at the theaters as many of us continue to do our watching from home, but the latest “Mortal Kombat” film, for all its outlandish action and over the top characters, seems impossibly engaging right now. It looks big and broad and certainly a little absurd, but it also looks like it’s committing to that absurdity in a way that’s refreshing these days in big-budget blockbuster films. Hopefully one of the very few video game adaptations that aren’t awful, the story follows Cole Young (Lewis Tan), a washed-up MMA fighter unaware of his hidden lineage who is being hunted down and, concerned for his family, decides to seek out a team of fighters who were chosen to defend Earthrealm in a high-stakes battle against the forces of Outworld. The film is helmed by first-time director Simon McQuoid and produced by “Aquaman” director James Wan. Along with Tan in the lead role, the film also stars Tadanobu Asano, Josh Lawson, Jessica McNamee, and Ludi Lin.
Release Date: April 23 on HBO Max.
“Here are the Young Men”
What You Need to Know: As her star continues to rise following her leading role in last year’s addictive series “The Queen’s Gambit,” Anya Taylor-Joy is a singular draw these days to upcoming projects. “Here Are the Young Men,” which also stars “1971” co-lead Dean Charles-Chapman, based on the novel of the same name by Rob Doyle, follows Dublin teenagers Matthew, Rez and Kearney as they leave school and fall down the path of drinking and drugs, quickly finding themselves spiraling out of control. Eoin Macken (“Merlin,” “The Night Shift”) directs the film, which also stars Finn Cole, Ferdia Walsh-Peelo, and Travis Fimmel.
Release Date: April 27.
“Without Remorse”
What You Need to Know: Based on the popular novel of the same name by author Tom Clancy and a spinoff of the “Jack Ryan” films, “Without Remorse” casts Michael B. Jordan as the leading action hero this time around. Jordan plays John Clark, a man seeking justice for the murder of his pregnant wife. An elite Navy SEAL, he uncovers a covert plot that threatens to engulf the United States and Russia in an all-out war. So, pretty standard stuff for Clancy material. It is a shame that we’re once again heading into the territory where a woman needs to be killed to motivate the main character/plot, but it’s not totally surprising when noting the material. Stefano Sollima directs the film with a script from “Hell or High Water” and “Wind River” scribe Taylor Sheridan. The film also stars Jamie Bell and Jodie Turner-Smith.
Release Date: April 30 on Amazon Prime.
“Four Good Days”
What You Need to Know: It feels like it’s been a while since we’ve seen Mila Kunis get to truly sink her teeth into a role. Hopefully, with the upcoming drama “Four Good Days,” which sees her acting opposite Glenn Close, we’ll see her do just that. The script was written by director Rodrigo García and Eli Saslow and based upon Saslow’s 2016 Washington Post article “How’s Amanda? A Story of Truth, Lies and an American Addiction” follows Kunis’s Molly, a long-time heroin addict, who, following the release from the hospital, decides to pursue sobriety. To pursue the path she wants and to be eligible for injections that would prevent her from getting high, she must stay clean for four days and rely on her mother for help. Our critic saw the film back at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival but didn’t find much to celebrate, writing “…as a performer’s showcase, “Four Good Days” does the job. But there’s not much to see here otherwise.”
Release Date: April 30 in limited release before a VOD release on May 21.