THE MEDDLER
***
Director: Lorene Scafaria
Screenwriter: Lorene Scafaria
Principal cast:
Susan Sarandon
Rose Byren
J.K. Simmons
Jerrod Carmichael
Jason Ritter
Cecily Strong
Country: USA
Classification: MA15+
Runtime: 103 mins.
Australian release date: 19 May 2016
The Meddler, by Italo-American director Lorene Scafaria, has a semi-autobiographical plot that deals with grief and loneliness. These issues were also raised in the recent Mia Madre, but in this case, they are revealed through the actions of a mother grieving over the loss of her husband, a successful builder.
Marnie (Susan Sarandon) is a recently bereaved widow in her late 60s who moves from New Jersey to LA to be closer to her daughter Lori (Rose Byrne), a writer for TV, busy on location with her latest screenplay. Marnie tries to involve herself in her daughter’s life but only succeeds in being intrusive. Her suffocating behaviour is thoroughly annoying but at the same time Sarandon keeps you on Marnie’s side, not so much in sympathy as in empathy - Marnie is someone who simply can’t cope with being alone. You get the impression that she has spent most of her life looking after her partner and child and doesn’t know how to do the same for herself; Sarandon ably exhibits how grief and loneliness often go hand in hand.
The characters are realistically portrayed, particularly the mother and daughter roles. There comes a slight respite for Lori, or at least a moment of hope, when Marnie meets an ex-cop, Zipper (J.K. Simmons), on a movie set she literally walks into. This rather mismatched couple commences a friendship and seems to get it together - well, sort of. There is a charming scene between the two when Zipper takes Marnie to visit his Dolly Parton-loving chickens! What could have been a cringe-worthy experience is in fact a sweet, sensitive exposé on how people deal with tragedy in their lives. The Meddler would’ve been a perfect choice to take your mum to as a Mother’s Day treat - pity it opened two weeks later!
Screenwriter: Lorene Scafaria
Principal cast:
Susan Sarandon
Rose Byren
J.K. Simmons
Jerrod Carmichael
Jason Ritter
Cecily Strong
Country: USA
Classification: MA15+
Runtime: 103 mins.
Australian release date: 19 May 2016
The Meddler, by Italo-American director Lorene Scafaria, has a semi-autobiographical plot that deals with grief and loneliness. These issues were also raised in the recent Mia Madre, but in this case, they are revealed through the actions of a mother grieving over the loss of her husband, a successful builder.
Marnie (Susan Sarandon) is a recently bereaved widow in her late 60s who moves from New Jersey to LA to be closer to her daughter Lori (Rose Byrne), a writer for TV, busy on location with her latest screenplay. Marnie tries to involve herself in her daughter’s life but only succeeds in being intrusive. Her suffocating behaviour is thoroughly annoying but at the same time Sarandon keeps you on Marnie’s side, not so much in sympathy as in empathy - Marnie is someone who simply can’t cope with being alone. You get the impression that she has spent most of her life looking after her partner and child and doesn’t know how to do the same for herself; Sarandon ably exhibits how grief and loneliness often go hand in hand.
The characters are realistically portrayed, particularly the mother and daughter roles. There comes a slight respite for Lori, or at least a moment of hope, when Marnie meets an ex-cop, Zipper (J.K. Simmons), on a movie set she literally walks into. This rather mismatched couple commences a friendship and seems to get it together - well, sort of. There is a charming scene between the two when Zipper takes Marnie to visit his Dolly Parton-loving chickens! What could have been a cringe-worthy experience is in fact a sweet, sensitive exposé on how people deal with tragedy in their lives. The Meddler would’ve been a perfect choice to take your mum to as a Mother’s Day treat - pity it opened two weeks later!