A down-on-her-luck single mother, Beth (Vivian Kerr), tries to come to terms with her homelessness. She relies heavily now on the kindness of her estranged brother Ben (Anthony Rapp) and his wife Stacy (Lana Parrilla) in order to survive. Scrap is the story of these siblings and their struggle to keep Beth’s daughter Birdy (Julianna Layne) happy and healthy. Good things may be on the horizon, but there’s a lot of work still to be done.
There’s something about this film that allows viewers to play along, to identify with the characters and the story–and there are some unique ways by which Writer-Director Kerr makes this happen. There’s one thing in this world now that people understand better than anything else, and that’s the cell phone. The cell phone is used as a way to guide the story, to set the tone, and to allow viewers to understand and appreciate Beth and Ben’s journey through life. It’s used to express frustration, intimacy, and energy throughout the course of Scrap, and I’m not sure that the filmmakers could have chosen something better to drive this film. We all understand its purpose, and most of the world is obsessed with their phone at this point–making it nearly impossible for viewers not to appreciate what’s being done on screen.
You read this brief synopsis, and it’s clear the drama that will transcend it in its entirety. However, there’s actually comedy present in the film (and considering I expected a standard drama geared toward women, this was a pleasant surprise). Parrilla and Khleo Thomas (Marcus) are the ones that employ this comedy. A series of zingers manage to make their way to the surface of the film, allowing me to muster up the occasional chuckle and creating a somewhat balanced film that far exceeded my expectations.
There’s an emotional relevance that exists throughout Scrap, and it comes in many forms. What makes this emotion most relevant is the fact that cheesy, but honest comedy exists throughout the entirety of the film. There are a few dialogue issues that exist, some things that don’t feel natural–but in the moments of comedy, the things that come out of the characters’ mouths are hilarious, absurd, and a true reflection of the word vomit that can often arise in real life. Scrap ultimately employs very real comedy, comedy that works for the story and it works for viewers.
Much like the comedy, the film as a whole plays with ideas that are real. The things that play out in Scrap don’t feel fabricated for a film, but rather like a reflection of the real world. That honesty, that very real feeling allows Scrap to flow, to resonate with viewers, and to ultimately create a connection with them.
Scrap is like a Hallmark movie (which I hate), but it knows what it wants to be and doesn’t try to hide behind hyperreal dialogue and mushy plot points to try to make it better (which I genuinely appreciate). It finds a very real place in cinema, and it follows an understandable and relatable story from beginning to end. While it’s still that cheesy, quasi-love story–Scrap effectively conveys emotion and actually employs a relatable and accessible narrative. I’m ultimately impressed with this product, as Scrap is an effective and emotionally-driven film.
Written & Directed by Vivian Kerr.
Starring Vivian Kerr, Anthony Rapp, Lana Parrilla, Julianna Layne, Beth Dover, Khleo Thomas, etc.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/10
