Scrambled (film)

Scrambled is a 2023 comedy drama film written and directed by, and starring Leah McKendrick. It also stars Ego Nwodim, Andrew Santino, Adam Rodriguez, Laura Cerón and Clancy Brown. The film had a world premiere at South by Southwest on March 11, 2023, and was released in theaters on February 2, 2024.

Plot
Nellie Robinson is a single 34-year-old woman who attends friends' weddings and baby showers nearly every weekend. At a wedding, Nellie runs into her friend Monroe who confides in Nellie about her struggles with conceiving at 40. Nellie sees her gynecologist and learns she has diminished ovarian reserve. Though unsure if she wants to be a mother, Nellie decides to freeze her eggs as an option, a procedure that will cost $14,000. After various unsuccessful attempts to raise the money, her brother Jesse reluctantly loans it to her.

As Nellie prepares for the procedure with a regiment of daily injections, she meets with several of her ex-boyfriends to see if any are suitable to rekindle a relationship with, but they only reaffirm her decisions to end the relationships. At an engagement party for a friend, she learns that her ex-boyfriend Shawn, whom she still harbors feelings for, is expecting a child with his new girlfriend. At night, Nellie peers through their window and watches them together. After being caught, she tearfully congratulates them as she runs away.

Nellie's egg retrieval procedure is successful, and her friends and family throw her a party resembling a baby shower. She writes a heartfelt letter to her frozen eggs, thanking them for giving her more time to decide if she wants to be a mother.

Production
Scrambled is based on Leah McKendrick's own experience with egg-retrieval in 2021. She wrote, directed (in her directorial debut) and starred in the film. The film was produced by Megamix's Gillian Bohrer and Jonathan Levine, along with Brett Haley and Amanda Mortimer. It was executive produced by Mariah Owen, Matthew Helderman, Luke Taylor and Grady Craig from BondIt Media Capital, who provided financing.

Principal photography concluded in September 2022. Cinematographer Julie Swain shot on a Arri Alexa using the OpenGate 4.5k format and the film was edited in Adobe Premiere Pro by Sandra Torres Granovsky.

Release
In September 2022, Lionsgate Films acquired the worldwide distribution rights for Scrambled. It had a world premiere at South by Southwest (SXSW) on March 11, 2023, where Lionsgate held sales for other markets. The film was released in theaters by Lionsgate and Roadside Attractions on February 2, 2024.

Reception
Samantha Bergeson writing for IndieWire gave the film a B+, saying: "At times, Scrambled feels like a TV show, which isn't a bad thing at all. In fact, it's a compliment: the film has quick quips, good timing, and tight pacing mostly found in nowadays in episodic structures". Nick Allen from RogerEbert.com wrote that even though he thought that some parts of the script was "too forced with its emotions" and its humor "can be too broad", he concluded that Scrambled "proves to overall be a charismatic directorial debut from a promising writer/director/star". He ended his review with, "But Scrambled never loses sight of its sincerity, and McKendrick uses this space to lovingly illuminate, if not destigmatize a fertility option not given nearly as much visibility as other choices. She does so with a wealth of life wisdom and big laughs in the process".

Jessica Kiang of Variety wrote, "Scrambled is a lot of fun when it's not trying to also deliver uplift, but it ultimately proves that white, middle-class American women in their 30s can defeat any obstacle that stands between them and the unfettered life they want, except screenwriting convention".