Jamey Sheridan and Steve Buscemi in Handsome Harry.Film: The big noise this weekend comes from Ridley Scott’s Robin Hood, a far better movie than we expected, but if you are in the mood for something smaller and more low-key, head to Emerging Cinemas in Lake Worth or Mos’Art Theatre in Lake Park to see Handsome Harry, a drama about looking back over one’s life, about regrets, guilt, making amends and redemption. Directed in an understated fashion by Bette Gordon, it stars the reliable Jamey Sheridan (Law & Order: Criminal Intent) as an electrician on the verge of retiring, who gets a call from an old Navy buddy (Steve Buscemi). He extracts a deathbed promise from Harry to hit the road and visit their long-out-of-touch Navy cronies, to reconstruct a dark, brutal event from their past. Giving first-rate support are John Savage, Aidan Quinn and Titus Welliver, in an affecting film that will stick in your memory for a long time to come.
John Hererra and Dan Domingues in When the Sun Shone Brighter.Theater: Miami attorney and budding playwright Christopher Demos-Brown reaches back to his city’s recent violent past of warring Cuban-Americans and their views of Fidel Castro in his world premiere political drama, When the Sun Shone Brighter, about an ambitious Miami-Dade County mayor who is running for an open U.S. Senate seat, despite the skeletons in his closet. Lou Tyrrell directs a cast that includes former Tony Award nominee John Herrerra. If there are misty eyes at Florida Stage these days, that is because Demos-Brown’s play represents the company’s final production in Manalapan before it moves to the Kravis Center this summer. Opening Friday, running through June 20. Call (561) 585-3433 or (800) 514-3837. Tickets: $45-$48. — H. Erstein
Pianist Sofiya Uryvayeva.Music: Although Tchaikovsky’s First Piano Concerto and a couple selections from his cycle The Seasons are well-known, much rarer is the Russian composer’s only mature piano sonata (in G, Op. 78). Critics have been generally unkind to it, but it’s full of color and strong melody, and well worth hearing. Tchaikovsky’s countrywoman, pianist Sofiya Uryvayeva, champions the piece Sunday afternoon at the Steinway Gallery in Boca Raton on a program that also includes another chance to hear a rare piano event: all four of the Ballades of Frederic Chopin. Uryvayeva takes the stage at 5 p.m. Sunday at the gallery on Federal Highway, across the street from the Caldwell Theatre. Tickets: $20 in advance, $25 at the door. Call 929-6633 or visit www.pianolovers.org.
If you missed local clarinetist Paul Green’s performance a season or so ago of Bartók’s Contrasts, you can hear it again Sunday at St. Paul’s in Delray when Green, joined by violist Michael Klotz and the fine pianist Jennifer Snyder team up for this work, written for Benny Goodman in 1938. Also on the program are the Fairy Tales of Schumann (Op. 132), Three Pieces (Op. 83) by Max Bruch, and the so-called Kegelstatt Trio of Mozart (in E-flat, K. 498). 4 p.m. Sunday, St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Delray Beach. Tickets: $15-$18. Call 278-6003 or visit www.stpaulsdelray.org.
Kendall Gladen as Carmen.Your last chance to see Florida Grand Opera’s rethought, flamenco-filled version of Bizet’s Carmen comes Saturday night at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts. Renaud Doucet and André Barbe spent time in Andalucia soaking up local color before coming up with their version of Carmen, which has done very well for the company in Miami. Kendall Gladen stars as Carmen, Adam Diegel is Don José, Miami native Elaine Alvarez is Micaëla, and Mark Walters is Escamillo, all singing under the baton of veteran FGO conductor Willie Anthony Waters. 8 p.m. Saturday at the Broward Center, Fort Lauderdale. The show’s sold out, but you might get lucky if there are returns. Call 305-741-1010 or visit www.fgo.org.