Susan Sarandon begins “The Meddler” as the mother from Hell, hovering over daughter Rose Byrne in ways that make the term “establishing boundaries” utterly laughable. When her husband dies in New Jersey (leaving her quite well off) Sarandon sells her home and moves to Los Angeles to get closer to her daughter. The invention of the iPhone gives Sarandon multiple ways to invade Byrne’s privacy and life. About a third of the way into the story, it becomes apparent both mother and daughter are grieving the loss of their husband and father. Along the way, we get a more sympathetic feeling for Sarandon, and after a few good deeds and a spark of romance with J.K. Simmons, “The Meddler” turns into a satisfying story of moving on, and of love, loss and messiness. Casting Sarandon helps humanize this story. The chemistry between Sarandon and Rose Byrne also helps. When J.K. Simmons appears in a story these days, that’s always a good sign. “The Meddler” has a lot going for it. Does it deliver what it promises? Mother/daughter comedy drama. Is it entertaining? Starts irritating, ends charming. Is it worth the price of admission? Lovely and lovable.
