Writer and first-time feature director Leah McKendrick (Pamela & Ivy) taps into the millennial’s primal fear of being alone in her debut feature, Scrambled. When 30-something Nellie (Leah McKendrick) is sick of being an eternal bridesmaid, she goes on an empowering, and often hilarious, journey of self-discovery. McKendrick is writing, directing, and starring in this personal tale of self-love and actualization taken from personal experience and you can feel that level of intimacy throughout the film.
Center: Leah McKendrick as Nellie Robinson in SCRAMBLED. Photo Courtesy of Lionsgate.
If you are of a certain millennial age and single, chances are you know what it’s like to doom scroll through Instagram and see every other post about a couple getting engaged or having a baby. Gone are the days of our parents where you find a partner, get married, and start having kids — in that order. No matter how much they apply that pressure, it doesn’t change that fact that our world is different. In our lifetimes, we have seen inflation skyrocket and minimum wage stay the same, wars, acts of terrorism, political insanity, and, oh yeah, a pandemic that would rival any dystopian fable, yet all Mom and Dad can think to say is, “When am I getting grandchildren?.” All of this subtext comes crashing into reality brilliantly when Nellie throws on all her favorite ‘90s albums, puts on her prom dress, and cries. It’s not about living in the past, it’s about being in a comfortable state of mind, when the societal pressure of baring children wasn’t even a blip on the radar.
Leah McKendrick as Nellie Robinson in SCRAMBLED. Photo Courtesy of Lionsgate.
When we meet Nellie, she’s a bit of a mess. A little too much partying, a little too much drinking, and now she’s 34 and the doctor is telling her that her biological clock is ticking. Once her mortality comes into focus, it’s hard for her not to see a life of loneliness and missed opportunities. When she decides she is going to freeze her eggs to secure her future, whatever that may be, she takes the first steps of finding her agency.
A scene from Leah McKendrick’s SCRAMBLED. Photo Courtesy of Lionsgate.
Where Scrambled shines brightest is the takedown of living in the past. Not just moving past your regrets, but also moving past an antiquated way of thinking; a way of thinking that has permeated American culture for a long time. The men in her life, her father and brother, speak for all daft men — periods are “gross,” why don’t you just “find a guy” — the portrayal of aloof misogyny is so spot-on I half expected the line “bleeding from their whatever” to be uttered. But this is what she is up against, a hive mind, molded in an echo chamber passed on from generation to generation.
Leah McKendrick as Nellie Robinson in SCRAMBLED. Photo Courtesy of Lionsgate.
The acting from McKendrick (M.F.A.) feels so real and this role felt lived-in and raw. The script is hilarious, brutal, and smart as hell. A great supporting cast of Yvonne Strahovski (The Tomorrow War), Clancy Brown (SpongeBob SquarePants), June Diane Raphael (Long Shot), Andrew Santino (The Disaster Artist), and Feodor Chin (Baby), to name a few, ranging from cameos to co-stars, is top notch in bringing this story to life. It very much feels like an Apatow comedy (The 40 Year Old Virgin; Knocked Up), not only because it leans into its R rating, but it does a fantastic job of blending real life, comedy, and true human connection into a roller coaster ride that will leave you in tears.
Leah McKendrick as Nellie Robinson in SCRAMBLED. Photo Courtesy of Lionsgate.
Normalizing finding your own path, whether that’s having a baby the “real way,” or freezing your eggs as a single adult. It’s not about a married couple coming together to make a choice about their future, it’s about finding closure with yourself, and accepting the unknown future. The message of self-care and self-reliance is refreshing; this is the perfect romcom about loving yourself.
In theaters February 2nd, 2024.
For more information, head to the official Lionsgate Scrambled webpage.
Final Score: 4 out of 5.
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Categories: In Theaters, Reviews
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