Thomas Sodoski was always fun to see in series like “The Newsroom,” where he played something of a cynical cad who had to prove himself. He brought similar smarts to roles in four seasons of the sitcom “Life in Pieces” and as mayor in the Edie Falco cop show “Tommy.” 

Usually content to be a thorn in an ensemble, in Thomas F. Mazziotti’s “The Mimic,” he met his match in a smiling and enigmatic new neighbor played by Jake Robinson. They supposedly both work at a newspaper in the lush leafy confines where the film was shot, in Orangeburg and Palisades, N.Y., (perhaps suggested by writer and director Mazziotti’s own stint, writing about foreign films for a Palisades outlet). 

Yet we see no newspaper office — though there is an odd editorial meeting that looks more like a living room book club, attended by such notable faces as Jessica Walter, Marilou Henner and Didi Conn (Frenchy from  “Grease”!). 

(Walter, in this single scene, does say, “I see we’re short on obituaries, does anyone have any ideas?” a phrase that’s never been said in any newspaper anywhere). 

Sodoski’s character is also writing a screenplay, supposedly, based on this strained relations with the neighbor, but all we see of it is a post-it note with the title.