From “No Country For Men” to the “Trainspotting” films, Kelly Macdonald has made a career out of being the scene stealing supporting character.

Now Macdonald gets the chance to be center stage in “Puzzle,” a drama from director Marc Turtletaub that really gives Macdonald an avenue to showcase her talents. At times the film’s screenplay may have familiar ticks, but Macdonald’s presence is so commanding it is easy to forgive those flaws.

Macdonald plays Agnes, a suburban mom who is stuck in a rut and seemingly unappreciated by her husband (David Denman) and two sons (Austin Abrams and Bubba Weiler). One day Agnes starts messing with a 1,000 piece jigsaw puzzle and quickly realizes that, not only is she very good at it, but it provides a spark to her everyday routine that hasn’t been there recently.

Her new passion leads Agnes to discover that the world competitive jigsaw puzzle. With the help of an eccentric inventor and competitive puzzler named Robert (Irrfan Khan), Agnes begins to regain control of her life – an re-evaluate her relationship with her family.

From the opening scene Macdonald inhabits this character in such a way that it is easy for the audience to identify with her plight. That connection with the audition really makes “Puzzle” work because you care about what happens to Agnes.

As the character grows Macdonald’s performance gets even more complex, and even when the story gets a little formulaic the emotional investment remains.

Khan makes for a good mentor, although his story arc takes an easy turn. 

“Puzzle” also ends on an odd note, with it being a bit of open-ended (something that I don’t think it really need), but it doesn’t detract from what Macdonald accomplishes here. It’s a strong lead performance from someone who has been around so long, she deserves her chance to shine.

Starring: Kelly Macdonald, Irrfan Khan

Directed by: Marc Turtletaub

Rating: R for language

Playing at: Regal Green Hills Stadium 16 in Nashville

Grade: B