Scrap

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.

Scrap, written, directed and star by Vivian Kerr is a drama who speaks about homelessness and infertility issues with great sensitivity. It's a great family story as well. The film tells the story of Beth (Vivian Kerr) who is homelessness after losing her job, her pride to keep it a secret from her brother and sister-in-law and the guilt for the burden she's placed on her family. Anthony Rapp, as Ben, Beth's brother and Stacy, his wife, star by Lana Parrilla, are brillant. We really enjoyed this film and the fantastic performances of its actors. We hope it see it very soon in theaters or on our TV screens.

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 have not emotionally recovered. I felt for all the the characters so deeply it hurt. Every aspect of this film was intimate and intentional and simply beautiful. Lana Parrilla and Anthony Rapp's chemistry was perfection. Vivian Kerr stuck the landing on all her events from the writing to acting. They knew exactly the story they were telling and how the characters belonged in their world. It was stunning. Scrap told the story of the pain and beauty of just being human. How desperately lonely and loved we are simultaneously. I can't wait for this movie to be on my shelf, in my home, waiting to be watched over and over again.

Loved how authentic this film was. Every actor portrayed the raw emotion of each character. I enjoyed watching the brother-and-sister dynamic between Beth and Ben. It was interesting to watch the relationship between Ben and Stacey. The uptight lawyer who fell in love with the nerdy author. You can tell she loves Ben but his sister has put an emotional burden on their relationship. Plus Stacey is going through IVF treatments. In the end, they are all family and find a way to cope with the struggles that life has put each of them through. I enjoyed every minute of the film. This movie is a must-watch!

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.)

This film has a beautiful storyline that is enhanced with complex characters that are each going through something. This movie treats very serious subjects with the utmost delicacy. It was truly amazing to watch. The characters' développement throughout the movie allows their relationships to bloom and improve as the story continues. They learn to understand each other more but also learn things about themselves. The viewer is also presented with a few emotional scenes that really make our hearts want to reach through the screen to comfort the characters. The ending is very pleasing as in the last few scenes everything seems to come together in the perfect way. I truly loved this film and I really recommend it!