The movie “Scrap” is a competent indie film that investigates a dysfunctional family with subtlety and good acting. The movie does not fit into the norm of movies that deal with families that are either funny or serious, in fact it avoids this. However, since premiering at the 2022 Deauville Film Festival, Vivian Kerr’s debut has been on the festival circuit for more than two years now and she made her second film (a period thriller titled “Seance”) within this time frame. It is essential to note that Kerr stars in both films, but don’t get me wrong this is no narcissistic enterprise: her character throughout seems the least sympathetic among other embarrassingly entangled existences within Los Angeles. This credible examination of “hidden” homelessness and problematic sibship reliance comes out on VOD on Dec 13th; Kerr plans to self-distribute it on various platforms such as Distrify, Reel House, Vimeo etc.
Beth (Kerr) is seen waking up in her car, which happens to be an SUV parked on a residential road in that kind of upper-middle-class neighborhood where she probably thought she belonged or did until she was recently laid off from some corporate position. But now she’s busy holding on to the façade of steadiness even as she has lost her house and is being chased by debt collectors. None of these things have been told to his older brother Ben (Anthony Rapp). However, he’s starting to feel something isn’t right with Beth especially when he realized that Birdie (Julianna Layne), her 5-year-old daughter, has been with him for too long while she’s reportedly out of town for business.
On the other hand, Ben’s life is quite comfortable though not without trouble. An author himself; He has however been pressurized by circumstances to drop what he love most and embrace commercial successful sword and sorcery fiction series that seems absolutely stupid to him. Nevertheless, they are having problems conceiving their own child as they continue trying every means including vitro fertilization. They are both losing stamina due to this stress related issue.
At present, it is not a good moment for needy and caustic Beth to turn up at their door step again. She was just robbed of her car and had turned down another job offer hence she decided to lie that she wants to join Birdy under the same roof in order to explain her situation.
It takes a full hour till Ben discovers by accident that his sister’s current employment status is “former.” But Kerr fills this time with character details that enrich a prickly sibling relationship while never actually saying anything directly. Since both parents had died mysteriously long ago, Ben got caught early on practically bringing up his “baby sis,” who both exploits and despises these supportive roles.
This makes clear it’s not the first time she has tested his almost infinite patience, nor are some of her choices so bad they justify her fear of being seen as a “fuckup” or even Stacy’s comment about her as a “bloodsucking vampire.” Darvill joins us in such silent moments through childhood memories which imply much pain.
The story is not exaggerated as the road to a happy ending here is quite different. Ben and Stacy have to look at marriage in a new way because their expectations have changed. Beth has to stop lying about everything, particularly her own life; this would mean giving up any hope of career and economic growth. It also includes an ill-fated reunion with her repentant ex-boyfriend, Brad Schmidt, who ran away immediately he learnt about her pregnancy. She might not have considered it possible that she could end up having a lover from among the working class before.
The actors portray these personalities well and the script writer describes them in a simple yet concise way such that most of their conflicts are perceived rather than spoken out indeed all main characters aspire always to appear in control even when such facades are devastatingly disfiguring. “Scrap” hardly has any style besides an interlude of Tin Pan Alley songs from the era of 78 rpm records (which were apparently liked by Beth’s late parents), and non-confrontational big scenes like those commonly found in such stories. Not elliptical or impressionistic though.
This is not a culture where people can openly express their emotions. Outwardly silent, the characters are boiling on the inside, but traditional courtesy and self-respect can’t let them burst out at once anyway.
This clever film allows them to work through it without huge catharsis. That might help them, but it is not who they are and Scrap provides enough insight for the audience to be satisfied that those siblings will eventually find themselves there.
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