Film No. 30 (2016) The Meddler May 5th.

Film No. 30 (2016) May 5th.  6.30 PM LUNA WINDSOR Nedlands.

"What you have to do is have him tip you upside down, that's what Joe and I did to conceive Lori." (Marnie (Susan Sarandon) issues advice to a prospective mum at a baby shower).

For starters, The Meddler is an odd title for a film which never gives the impression Marnie meddles in much at all. Slightly inappropriate might have been a better description of Sarandon's persona but Marnie is always likable if not fractionally frustrating. Perhaps I see a meddler as having negative connotations because Marnie is never anything more than fractionally annoying and slightly inappropriate.

Slightly likable is also how I'd best describe The Meddler. The film never really demands our attention due mainly to the lack of chemistry between mother (Sarandon) and daughter Lori (Rose Byrne). Perhaps there is no better example of the miss-fire than when Zipper (J.K. Simmons) emerges as Marnie's love interest and we suddenly feel what screen chemistry is all about.

Marnie is new to widowhood but is never a sad sack about it all. A devoted wife and mother who we assume lived a kept life by a successful husband in New York. We assume we are going to witness Marnie build a stronger  bond with Lori as she gradually realizes that offering strong opinions and dropping in unannounced is wearing thin with her daughter. Why this wasn't resolved long ago is never explained, although the death of their husband/father may be relevant.

The issue is, The Meddler never hits the mark. The key relationship (mother and daughter) is trumped by the appearance of Zipper as widow meets new man late in the film. Via the Sarandon / Simmons' chemistry we realize an opportunity to hook into the film has been lost. Too late she wrote. The Meddler is okay at times, it will find an audience.  7GUMS.