Scrap

Scrap is a film that patiently and wisely allows us to make our own judgments on its flawed main character. With this impressive and maturely constructed first feature, Vivian Kerr has announced herself as a major presence in American indie film. Her acting is exceptional and her chemistry with Anthony Rapp as brother Ben is real and poignant.

The final scene is tremendous. The violins swell and you think it's going to be a full on "movie moment" and then...it's not a "moment" at all. The film is like, NOPE, here's just a look, and the smallest nod that tells you everything. It really got me. Spent the end credits wiping away my tears. So lovely.

This film was heartbreakingly beautiful. It simultaneously hurt and healed all the way up to the end. The writing, actors, cinematography, editing, and music were all excellent (the choice of music almost felt like a character of its own). These characters were written and portrayed in a way that felt very authentic. My favorite relationship explored was Beth and Stacy's. Their differences and similarities complemented each other gorgeously. You can tell there is a level of respect between the two, yet they have this complicated sister-in-law relationship. It felt extremely honest, and I found myself not taking either side; I simply rooted for them to come to some kind of understanding. All of the relationships were believable, but their's stuck out to me the most. I was also captivated by each character's vulnerabilities and strength. My first biggest takeaway from watching this film was the reminder that no matter how different our lives and personalities are, we are all connected in this human experience. My second biggest takeaway was that it's okay to rely on others to help get ourselves back on our feet... and to have the road eventually rise up to meet you.

(The ending scene was masterful. Ben's nod told more than any line could've.)

I took a chance and decided to go see this one last night at Cinequest in downtown San Jose. Based on the trailer, I got the sense that this would be a more intelligent film than the others I'd seen in the festival so far. Boy, was I right: writer/director/star Vivian Kerr has pulled off a supremely confident feature debut which manages to contain JUST the right amount of quirky humor and emotional resonance without it ever once feeling forced, as so many other films in this genre and style tend to do. Beautifully shot on location in Los Angeles, and featuring a surprising soundtrack of 1920s and 30s-era music, Scrap manages to incorporate themes as wide-ranging as homelessness and young motherhood, all of which are handled delicately while the film itself remains a breezy character study of a young woman who is just barely getting by in life, but tries her best nevertheless.

This film beautifully and skillfully intertwines its main story & the hardship that Beth (Vivian Kerr) faces, with the stories & hardships of her Brother Ben (Anthony Rapp) and his wife Stacy (Lana Parrilla). The connection between the actors made the characters and their stories so much more beautiful.

Scrap captures some beautiful places of L. A, along with some hard hitting places that go hand in hand with the seriousness of the story.

I loved how well the music is paired up with their scenes, and how the pieces of each music tells a story within themselves during those scenes too.

The film is a credit to all of its cast and crew.

I am grateful that I have been able to watch this wonderful piece of art. And would definitely recommend other people to watch it too.

I loved the chemistry between all the actors. You could really witness a journey happening on the short span of the movie. At the beginning everything felt really tense, because there was lots of pretending and secret keeping. But during the course of action the relationships bloomed, we had beautiful character developments, accompanied by wonderful music and a soft lighting, which made everything look even more natural. Because it truly was a story grabbed from real life. What happened to Beth (Vivian Kerr) could've happen to anyone of us if we're unlucky enough. Sometimes I wished the movie would've explained a few things a little more, instead it left a lot to the watchers interpretation. But I guess that's also intended, since everyone can make out their own ending that way.