A newlywed couple’s honeymoon turns dark and bizarre in Chris Skotchdopole’s comedy thriller, Crumb Catcher.
If you’ve ever faced the dread of meeting someone who won’t take a hint and bugger off, you’ll feel a familiar discomfort in Crumb Catcher. However, it’s fair to say that you’ll likely never end up in a situation quite this awkward, stupid, and sinister.
The story begins with newly married Shane (Rigo Garay) and Leah (Ella Rae Peck) going through the usual wedding reception rituals. It’s quickly established that there’s tension concerning an upcoming book deal for Shane’s document of his father’s notorious past. Not to mention, the couple has been thrown a lavish wedding reception they didn’t want.
Shane is uncomfortable with the situation all around and turns to drink to get through it. Unfortunately, he drinks to the point of blacking out, which doesn’t go down well with his new bride or her family. The couple have a honeymoon set up at a snazzy remote estate though. So, surely the isolation will do them the world of good, right?
Well, Shane’s doubts about publishing a book on his father’s past are getting to him, and it causes a fresh clash with Leah. Thankfully, with no outside pressures to get in the way, they seek to solve the problem and make their honeymoon a memorable one.
Enter a stranger. Well, not quite a stranger. A waiter (John Speredakos) from their reception has inexplicably found the remote location in an overzealous attempt to right a wrong regarding the wedding cake. But this, of course, ends up being a front for some good old-fashioned blackmail. Shane finds he’s done something regrettable during his binge the night before, and the waiter and his partner Rose (Lorraine Farris) have hard evidence of the misdemeanor.
What do the blackmailers want? Money, of course, but not for nothing. They want Shane to invest in the waiter’s ”game-changing” invention. That’s the titular Crumb Catcher.
Chris Skotchdopole flits between tones as the film progresses. Early on, there’s dramatic tension in the post-wedding proceedings. That shifts into something sinister with the tease of a home invasion before swiftly descending into a dark farce. I’ve seen more than a few people liken that part of the film to an extended I Think You Should Leave sketch, and I can see that. Which makes the subsequent turn into a nastier, more demented direction all the more pronounced.
John Speredakos’ eccentric and fumbling waiter turned wannabe inventor is key to that. His character, John, comes across as an increasingly mad version of Gil from The Simpsons. As embarrassingly awkward as he makes every conversation with the newlyweds, looking away from him is hard. The other performances are solid enough, but Speredakos carries the film to its unhinged conclusion. However, I did prefer it when he’s not playing it so mask off as he eventually does.
The sheer absurdity of the situation shines through during a presentation for the Crumb Catcher itself. The setting up, the reveal of the offending item itself, and the jaw-droppingly stupid reason for its existence makes for the best part of the movie, and Speredakos is understandably the star of that particular shitshow.
Underneath the appeal of a dark farce with a mesmerizing yet dangerous idiot at its center, there are issues. The structure of the central blackmail plot feels a bit thin on top. While there are compelling moments in the dialogue between Shane and Leah as they juggle their increasing problems, it often lacks something extra to get from A to B more convincingly.
The highs very much come in the middle portion of the movie, too, as things take a little time to warm up at the start, and the end is a little too chaotic for its own good.
Still, I commend Chris Skotchdopole for dreaming up this tension-filled slab of absurdity. The shift from marital tensions to the strangest home invasion you’ll likely see is surprisingly seamless. It sensibly tries its best not to overstay its welcome, but much like the film’s buffoon of a waiter, it could perhaps do with a hint to wrap it up sooner rather than later.
SCORE: 7/10
As ComingSoon’s review policy explains, a score of 7 equates to “Good.” A successful piece of entertainment that is worth checking out, but it may not appeal to everyone.
Crumb Catcher screener provided for review.
Crumb Catcher is in select theaters on July 19, 2024.
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