“Burner” (** out of four) was a muddled underworld melodrama about a single mom (Kacy Owens) who returns home from prison and is trying to rebuild her life and her relationship with her daughter (Akina Wylie). However, when her violent ex (James Oliver Wheatley) re-appears in her life and threatens both of them- she realizes she has no other choice but to have him eliminated without parole, the law, and the mob finding out. Lumpy mixture of mother-daughter story and underworld action intrigue and as a result doesn’t connect as either one. Owens’ sincere performance is film’s strongest merit. Similar story elements were told much more powerfully and effectively in 2006’s “Sherrybaby.”