Courtesy of Lionsgate
Scrambled might open on a wedding scene, but our lead character, Nellie Robinson, is nowhere near her “settling down” era. For one thing, she’s not the one getting married. Instead, she’s on hand as a bridesmaid. (She’s the one the bride hopes might have cocaine in her purse.) Nellie doesn’t have a big career or a big relationship, either—just a jewelry business that acquaintances annoyingly describe as her “little” Etsy thing.
In other words, Nellie is a millennial stereotype, and on top of that, she’s far from happy about it. The worst part? At the age of 34, our red-headed Petra Pan-like protagonist finds out that her fertility is already singing its swan song. If she ever hopes to have biological children, she’ll need to freeze her eggs.
Leah McKendrick, who wrote, directed, and stars in Scrambled, plays Nellie as spiky but tender, as she navigates a never-ending march of baby showers, judgmental conversations, and double standards. Although the film itself can feel a little undercooked, especially toward the end, McKendrick’s performance will leave you wanting more. With any luck, her highwire act of a performance will lead to even more complex leading roles in future comedies.