Sometimes, an artist is so close to his or her subject that
objectivity becomes a casualty. Such is
the case with Lorene Scafaria’s The Meddler. While the film is meant to be a tribute to her father and the impact he
had on her mother and herself, the result is simply a series of lightly comic
moments, as the filmmaker avoids digging deeper into her character’s
motivations, which might have resulted in a more impactful story.
Trying to cope with the death of her husband, Marnie (Susan
Sarandon) moves from New Jersey to Los Angeles to be closer to her daughter Lori
(Rose Byrne). However, the definition of
“close” is quite different for mother and daughter and before you know it, the
former is intruding on the latter’s life in ways that are intrusive. From interfering with Lori’s love life to
going to her therapist to find out what they discuss in session, Marnie is
oblivious to any and all boundaries her daughter and society put in her way.
While initially this is very amusing, the behavior Marnie
displays at times borders on psychotic.
The fact that she befriends a worker at the local Apple Store,
encourages him to go to college and even gives him rides to class is cute and a
bit inspiring. However, when she attends
a wedding shower in Lori’s stead and volunteers and ultimately pays for her
wedding is eccentric at best and a little crazy at most. Scafaria, who also wrote the script, sees her
mother as a well-meaning woman with a generous heart and that’s nice, as far as
it goes. Yet, it seems to be skirting the issue of Marnie’s attempt to foster
her daughter’s dependence on her.
Obviously, the filmmaker wants to make a light-hearted movie in which
others can appreciate how lucky she is to have the mother she does. However,
had she taken a more serious approach to her mother’s behavior, the result
might have been a richer, more poignant portrait of two women in crisis who
come to each other’s salvation.
As it is, the party is entertaining enough and certainly a
nice respite from the cinema’s annual summer of bombast. Sarandon grounds Marnie, giving the sort of
sincere turn we’ve come to expect from the screen veteran and her efforts
prevent the film from becoming ridiculous.
Byrne’s Lori is just as good, giving us a woman barely hanging on,
pushed to the edge by her mother’s presence.
The actress’ combination of desperation and frustration perfectly
compliments her co-star.
That J.K. Simmons
shows up as Marnie’s love interest signals Scafaria’s intention to deliver a
crowd-pleaser as well as a satisfying vicarious experience for herself and her
mother. In the end, The Meddler isn’t nearly as sincere or successful as the
filmmaker’s under appreciated debut “Seeking a Friend for the End of the World,”
a film you’ll probably like more than you expect. The Meddler is a movie you end wanting to
like more than you hould.
This article appears in May 26 – Jun 1, 2016.
