A Review of ‘Scrap’: A good attempt at scrapping the impediments to kinship
A sister and brother at loggerheads struggle to deal with their respective plights.
‘Scrap’: A good attempt at scrapping the impediments to kinship
Cast: Lana Parrilla, Anthony Rapp, Vivian Kerr, Khleo Thomas, Beth Dover, Saxon Trainor, Stephanie Drake, Priscilla Davies, Nicole Peplinski, Christina Ferraro, Marion Kerr, JB Tadena, Brad Schmidt, Julianna Layne, Melinda Bennett, Aric Garcia, Desiree Staples, Ally Teixeira
Critic’s Rating: 3 ½ Stars out of 5
Director: Vivian Kerr
Duration: 1 hour, 44 minutes
Genre: Drama, Romance
Language: English
Release: 2022
What’s it about?
A sister and brother at loggerheads struggle to deal with their respective plights.
Review:
Here is a sentimental drama about the complexity of familial relationships and the need for mutual trust, reciprocity and unconditional love. While the crisis and conflict in this film’s narrative doesn’t consistently work, they exude enough humanness to make it relatable. This, while adequately evoking the audience’s sympathy along the way. Scrap also underscores the desire to be true to oneself, regardless of monetary success and popularity. Meanwhile, life’s challenge of displaying more love to others than one has had the privilege of receiving, makes for a compelling undercurrent to the story.
American singer Billie Holiday’s “I Can’t Get Started” as background music, sets the tone for Scrap. Laid-off Beth Anderson (Vivian Kerr) is living out of her car while holding out hope that she can secure a job in Public Relations. At the same time, she is insistent on investing in expensive clothing and following a daily make-up regimen. But nothing seems to be going her way and she even incurs the ire of residents in the neighbourhood where she parks her vehicle. A single Mom, Beth is far from the ideal parent, leaving her toddler daughter Birdy (Jullianna Layne) in the care of her older brother Ben (Anthony Rapp) and his wife Stacy (Lana Parrilla).
While the couple fulfil their roles as stand-in father and mother, the irony is that they themselves are struggling to conceive a child. The fact that they have forged successful careers as a writer and advocate respectively, can’t really compensate. Meanwhile, pride prevents Beth from coming clean with them about her own ongoing predicament. She moves into Ben and Stacy’s house, lying about her unemployment and homeless status and triggering tension amid the trio. What ensues is a tumultuous few days, during which we learn more about their turbulent pasts and how they derive comfort from engaging in nostalgia.
An attempt at rekindling romance and the discovery of new affection also play roles in the characters’ journeys toward evolving and striving for resolution. However, an altercation from which stems an epiphany and the hope for peace, as well as the film’s slightly schmaltzy conclusion, may not entirely satisfy the viewer. However, there is sufficient sincerity and substance to keep eyes and ears focussed. Also, the perennial joy and effervescence of Beth’s daughter serve as a fitting counterbalance to the sadness and frustration of the adults.
Writer-director-star Vivian Kerr has delivered a movie that is bound to induce viewers into reflecting on their own relationships, especially those within the household. Kerr also succeeds at using sumptuous visuals to convey instances in the story. Plus, all the actors’ performances are commendable and ring true without their succumbing to sensationalism. All in all, this film is a pretty good affirmation that honesty and love can help overcome perceived tragedy and disheartenment, while enriching that experience called “Life”.
