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Monday, January 9, 2017

The Meddler (2016)

This is an interesting movie in that on one level it is very light and fluffy and one the other it is a somewhat profound statement on grief and moving on.  Marnie (played by Susan Sarandon) has lost her husband and has moved to Southern California to be near her daughter Lori, who is a script writer in Hollywood.  Marnie is grieving a husband of many years whom she was happy with and who left her well off in his death.  Lori is mourning a loss of a relationship with a man who treats her badly and she keeps coming back for more. 
Marnie is very annoying.  She calls Lori constantly.  She doesn't know what to do with herself and she doesn't know how to help Lori.  But she tries.  She immerses herself in things in an effort to find her bliss.  She gives freely of herself, and even though it is weird at times, she is rewarded for it and she moves forward.  She goes to Lori's therapist to try to spy on Lori, but when the therapist suggests what her motivation might be, Marnie takes it to heart.  She thinks about things and makes adjustments.  Lori on the the other hand, is completely stuck and she is completely unmotivated to get better.  She wallows in her misery about the loss of her father and her boyfriend.  It is painful to watch.  And it is not solely depression.  There is a component of denial involved.  Lori is a cautionary tale and Marnie is a beacon of hope.

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