Scrap movie review

MOVIE TITLE: Scrap

The drama releases on VOD platforms on December 13, 2024.

RATING: R (mostly for language)

LENGTH: 105 minutes

Movie Review Mom GRADE: A-

IN A NUTSHELL:

After getting laid off, a single mom struggles to hide her homelessness from her estranged brother and his wife. Beth (Vivian Kerr) has recently been laid off and struggles to maintain the appearance of a successful middle-class lifestyle as she bounces around Los Angeles. Hoping to land a new job and change her situation before her estranged older brother Ben (Anthony Rapp) finds out, Beth must confront her own pride in order to reconnect with him and provide for her young daughter Birdy. Meanwhile, Ben and his wife Stacy (Lana Parrilla) consider a third round of IVF and Stacy, a successful attorney, must re-evaluate her own conflicted relationship with motherhood. It’s a story of redemption and reconciliation that invites us to find what is really significant in our own lives.

The film was directed and written by Vivian Kerr who stated, “There’s no elsewhere. You must be where you are, and where you are is the place that matters most of all. ‘Cause it’s the only place where you can make, where you can build, where you can share, the republic of Heaven.” She also stars as the leading lady in the film.

The story is very personal to her, as she readily admitted that she struggled with not being where she wanted to be in her own life and career for many years.

Already, the film has won an impressive amount of awards! It was nominated for 40 different awards and won 23 of them! Congrats to Vivian!

THINGS I LIKED:

With so many people getting laid off in the last few years, this movie’s topic about real-life struggles is certainly timely.
I just recently saw Vivian Kerr in another movie I reviewed called Séance. She wrote, directed, and starred in that movie as well. She seems to be on a roll!
I’ve always liked Lana Parrilla as an actress, so I was happy to see her in this.
The director/writer wrote the film with Anthony Rapp in mind. He does a great job in his wrole as the estranged brother.
The casting was really great and found a brother and daughter that look just like the leading lady! All of the characters felt like real people.
The title is significant and refers to the last scrap of something you’re fighting for, as well as the opposite feeling of getting the “table scraps” in life.
There’s a lot of quirky and subtle humor.
If you like old music from the 1920s and 30s, you’ll get a kick out of some of the pieces that are played.
The opening montage sets the stage for the story that is set in the deceptively beautiful Los Angeles.
The nod in the last scene was powerful in such a simple way.
The thing about life is that we all have challenges and struggle with daily life. If we would just offer a little more patience and grace to one another, what a world this would be.
My heart just ached for Lana Parrilla’s character. She wanted to be pregnant so badly and to be a mother but it just wasn’t happening for her. Trying to get pregnant can be so emotionally and physically draining. At the same time, she had to deal with her sister-in-law who was completely neglecting her own daughter. The movie did a great job illustrating the delicate, complicated, and raw emotions of parenthood.
I loved it when the leady lady went to her brother’s book signings, explaining that she wanted to support him. As an author of a bunch of books (33!) and one who has done many book signings over the years, I want you to know how much it means to authors when people actually do sign up at signings and buy our work that we’ve put so much time and effort in creating for you! (All of my books can be found in bookstores and on Amazon…my shameless plug.)

THINGS I DIDN’T LIKE:

If someone really doesn’t have a home or a job, they shouldn’t be buying an expensive coffee at Starbucks and a bunch of stuff from Amazon, right? Moving out of expensive LA should also be a priority. It was frustrating to watch a character spend money so recklessly.
In general, it’s heartbreaking to watch people make terrible choices and struggle.

TIPS FOR PARENTS:

Some profanity, including several F-bombs
Alcohol
Talk of the death of parents
A man slaps a woman
We see an unmarried couple in bed together.

THEMES:

Secrets
Truth
Desperation
The support of family
Pride
Self-delusion
Self-reliance
Hypocrisy
Choices and consequences
Appearances
Motherhood
Taking responsibility
Reconciliation
Asking for help
Not getting what you want in life
IVF and the desire to be a parent

FUNNY LINES:

“Did you really come to my signing just to troll me?” – Beth (Vivian Kerr)

INTERESTING LINES:

“Here’s a good default: just assume your child is your responsibility until you hear otherwise.” – Stacy (Lana Parrilla)
“How can I help you when I don’t know these things.” – Ben (Anthony Rapp)
“You can’t will a baby into the world.” – Beth (Vivian Kerr)