by Joseph Perry and Mike Imboden
In our “The Good, the Bad, and the Verdict” film reviews, Joseph and Mike give their thoughts on a slice of cinema. For this installment, it’s home invasion thriller Crumb Catcher from Chris Skotchdopole and Doppelgänger Releasing.
Synopsis
Newlyweds Leah (Ella Rae Peck) and Shane’s (Rigo Garay) marriage is tested by the appearance of two weirdos with entrepreneurial zeal and a half-baked blackmail plot: John (John Speredakos) and Rose (Lorraine Farris). They’re looking for investors for John’s latest invention, a culinary breakthrough called the Crumb Catcher — and they won’t take no for an answer
The Good
Joseph: You may find the four main characters of Crumb Catcher absolutely reprehensible, but there’s no denying the power of the all-in performances from the actors portraying them. That is, for me, the film’s strongest suit and reason enough to give it a try. Leah and Shane are married for the sake of convenience and never let each other forget it. John and Rose sink to the level of blackmail to try and bankroll John’s titular invention, and a weapon that he carries hints that they are willing to go even further. Cinematographer Adam Carboni turns in some great work, including a dizzying sequence circling the four main characters. Writer/director Chris Skotchdopole helms his debut feature with assuredness, deftly balancing pitch-black humor, home invasion thriller, and relationship drama in a highly entertaining manner. The discomfiture of the slow-burning first act builds into a rather insane third act that provides plenty of nail-biting moments.
Mike: There’s two movies vying for your attention here with Crumb Cacther. On one hand you’ve got a couple of newlyweds who have a pretty darn dysfunctional relationship (he’s a writer, she’s his agent; he’s from nothing, she’s from money; etc.) and on the other you’ve got another couple who are trying with all that they’ve got to get our newlyweds to invest in the man’s invention, the titular ‘Crumb Catcher’. What Skotchdopole does is mashes these stories together for two acts of marital insecurity and home invasion which culminates in an out of control third act.
Everyone is great in their roles - Garay and Peck as the newlyweds and Farris as a simmering bartender who comes across like an aging showgirl that just lost a role to someone half her age. Stealing the show, though, is John Speredakos who is outstanding as ‘John’. Manic, a little desperate, and calculating, he is utterly convincing as the waiter with a grand design who can’t take a hint and doesn’t understand the word no.
The Bad
Joseph: I’ve stated in several of my reviews that if we only have deplorable characters with no one to root for, the film will not sit well with me. Crumb Catcher may be the first film that fits that description that bends, if not fully breaks, that rule for me, which places it north of “bad” for me. Your mileage may vary, though, if you stick hard and fast to my philosophy or a similar one.
Mike: There’s a blackmail angle in the plot which I don’t think really added to the story and could easily have been replaced as a plot device by already existing dynamics between the newlyweds and ‘John’s'' insistent attitude about getting some funding for his invention. Is that really a ‘Bad’ point? Maybe not, but it adds a character flaw when I don’t think there needs to be one.
The Verdict
Joseph: Crumb Catcher is the feel-bad movie of the year so far, but in this case, that’s not a negative thing. Some films we watch once and are glad — that’s one way to put it, if “glad” is not quite always 100% accurate — that we did, but feel we never need to see again. Crumb Catcher is strong enough to warrant rewatchability for its writing, direction, performances, and uncomfortable ambience, but whether viewers will want to spend another 90 minutes or so with these two couples is something to consider. I recommend Crumb Catcher as a devilishly different choice for genre-film buffs.
Mike: Crumb Catcher is a great character study that takes a misplaced marriage and crosses it with a bat crap insane inventor who refuses to give up on a sales pitch even when it’s clear it’s not going as he’d hoped. There are a few turns where things could have possibly derailed, but Skotchdopole does a great job of keeping the characters — and more importantly, the audience — on their toes. Like a good roller coaster ride, the film starts with an expected slow build before hitting a hill and sending the rider pell mell through twists and turns before rocketing towards a conclusion.
Highly recommended for fans of home invasion films and somewhat darkly comedic performances.
Crumb Catcher
Directed By: Chris Skotchdopole
Written By: Chris Skotchdopole
Starring: Rigo Garay, Ella Rae Peck, Lorraine Farris, and John Speredakos
Run Time: 1h 43m
Rating: NR
Release Date: July 19th, 2024
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