Sean Penn quietly turns in one stunning performance after another, in complex and riveting films, and still, real popularity eludes him. Or at least his fans refrain from pecking him apart with the so-called love that dogs the Leos and Toms of Hollywood, which is probably just as well. His latest role, as Sam Bicke, the man who plotted to kill President Nixon, won’t make the paparazzi chase him, either, but Penn’s portrayal of a man in the midst of heartbreak and disintegration is riveting. Bicke’s family is falling apart, his society is rotting under the weight of its corrupt leadership and a meaningless war, and to Bicke, one person seems to be ultimately responsible for it all. Even setting aside the parallels with contemporary life, Penn does an incredible job making sense of someone who, on the surface, seems completely unhinged. 3911 W. 50th St., Edina; 651-649-4416; www.landmarktheaters.com
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