Crust

Crust is like the "Little Engine That Could"...except it's a film.

Sean Whalen - one of those "where do I know him from?" actors (hint: SO MANY movies) - makes his directorial debut, and brings his friends along for the ride.

Whalen plays a former child actor who now runs a laundromat. Through a series of events, he...well...I don't want to spoil anything. Let's just say you'll never look at socks the same way again.

This dark comedy - most of which is in black and white - brings together Whalen, Daniel Roebuck, Rebekah Kennedy, Felissa Rose and Alan Ruck in a movie that will have you laughing and cringing (in a good way!) ...sometimes simultaneously.

It's an indie film, so the budget is low...but that doesn't mean it looks cheap - far from it. It's a film that doesn't really need more than it has. And the acting and story are both top notch.

Crust comes across like a cult classic...and deserves to be one.

A little camp (but not too much), lots of funny, the right amount of horror, and a pinch of noir.

Whalen's directorial debut follows a former child actor down on his luck and himself contemplating a reboot of that childhood family favorite, Baker's Dozen. Most of his fellow child castmates have followed the general tropes of child actors gone wrong: drugs, prison, early death. Paul/Vegas managed to avoid these pitfalls but he now runs a laundromat and is the victim of bullies.

Then we have Crust - our monster (or is he our hero? He is a charmer).. cutest monster this side of a friendly street.

Crust is such a delightful film! Sean Whalen has written a unique, creative story, and his directorial debut feels like an instant cult classic.

Paul/Vegas Winters, a former child star, now spends his days attending a laundromat. While wallowing in self pity, Paul habitually wipes his various bodily fluids onto socks, tossing them in a pile. After a viral video makes his whereabouts known, he becomes the laughingstock of town.

Fed up with the humiliation, fed up with his depression, the pile of socks comes to life to eliminate Paul's enemies; Crust is born!

This film plays with themes of mental health, showing the dark side of depression and anxiety, while wrapped in a fun and quirky premise. I appreciated how relatable the story was -- I'm sure anybody who's dealt with depression can find kinship in Whalen's character. He captures the sense of loneliness and abandonment from one's peers, causing one to latch onto any kind of crutch one can find that offers a reprieve from their depression. And the feeling of betrayal when the few supportive loved ones call out one's crutch for what it is.

Whether Crust is a benevolent or malignant force, it is clear the creature inspires confidence in Paul and sparks life in the previously empty soul.

I truly enjoyed this film. The supporting cast of Rebekah Kennedy as the love interest who sees Paul's true light, and Daniel Roebuck as the best friend who causes Paul as much grief as he does joy, were a perfect counterbalance for Whalen's heartfelt story.

Very excited to see what other gems come out of Sean Whalen's mind.

Crust delivers a genuine throw back fun ninteen eightiesish comedy horror with heart. Here I thought the non cgi creature features were dead but I was wrong. Crust is littered with several familiar faces, laughs and heart. Sean and Rebeccas chemistry is fun and the rest of the cast fits in this crazy world. Would suggest to anybody into indie goodness and B flicks and could use a unique movie to watch.

If anything this might be the coolest public service announcent for locking your door when you are self romancing. You'll only get caught once doing it and youll learn your lesson.

Cant wait for the potential sequels and the cult following that will surely follow.

Crust is a must!

Crust was a crazy, wild, original gem right from the brilliant mind of Sean Whalen! It was well executed on all levels, the performances were all top notch and the premise was like nothing I've seen before (and that was a good thing)! Sean is incredible as Paul/Vegas in the lead role and Rebekah Kennedy gives a stand out performance as Nila, his love interest! I'm really glad this film was released in a theatre near me and I was able to see it on a big screen, it was an experience that will stick with me for a while! Go see Crust in the theatre or make sure to check it out when it's available to stream, you won't regret it!