Tick, Tock Goes The Clock—Review Of Scrambled (2023)

Nellie, a jewellery designer, is at the wedding reception of her friend, Sheila and cheering her on. She's the loyal friend everyone invites to their weddings and baby showers. Then a friend sits her down and warns her of the danger of waiting too long to have a baby. Solution? Freeze her eggs. Nellie's life does a 360 degrees spin from that moment as she grapples with this decision. Why is she not married and having kids the normal way like her friends? Will she harvest and freeze her eggs?

The plot of this film is brilliant. It's about the ticking biological clock of a woman and her procreation ability. Even better, it's about the pressures, societal expectations, and emotions attached. The storytelling is good and I'm not surprised because it's written and directed by Leah McKendrick who also plays the part of Nellie, the main character. I'll say this young woman is multi talented.

She takes the audience on a rollercoaster ride through her decision and journey. We see the fun parts, the way her family and friends see her decision, and how she handles everything. Sometimes she happy, having fun and other times, she's impulsive and confused, going back to her past and reflecting on it. In reality, these are what some women would do. McKendrick portrayed this character convincingly.

It's good to see Clancy Brown in the movie as Nellie's annoying father and he played his role very well. He enjoys playing the villains in movies. I'd hoped Yvonne Strahovski was part of the main character, instead she appeared only in one scene and after, it's au revoir. Ego Nwodim's performance was great as the supportive friend.

One part I'm impressed with are the dialogues. They are witty, clever and realistic. At a point, I wondered who wrote these? McKendrick is good. I love the way she makes comparison between a woman's body clock and avocado. Very visual. The even pacing of the film, especially the scenes displaying her ex-boyfriends, makes it enjoyable. Though I feel the ending part was hurried but the film is still great.

I think Scrambled is an empowering film that portrays the struggle of most women, single or married, and the emotions involved. It also commands the respect that women deserve when they make these decisions. We must not be shamed for taking bold steps to protect our body and future. Yes, this theme may have been featured in some movies but none has told the story realistically and openly from the woman's POV. So kudos to Leah McKendrick for a well done and spectacular film.

Overall, Scrambled is an interesting and refreshing film deserving of more recognition. Don't mind the slow beginning as it gets better after a few minutes into the movie. Take note that its R-rated due to graphic and nude scenes, drug use and language. I'll give it 4 stars out of 5.

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