Vague Visages’ Scrap review contains minor spoilers. Vivian Kerr’s 2022 movie features herself, Anthony Rapp and Lana Parrilla. Check out the VV home page for more film reviews.

Let’s talk about festival hits and filmmaking flaws. On the circuit, low-budget movies with a heart-warming message often distract casual viewers from some unfortunate cinematic truths. And in theaters, general moviegoers tend to applaud trendy dramas about flawed people with big emotional payoffs instead of analyzing the nuts and bolts of the direction, cinematography, editing, etc. Scrap, the feature directorial debut from actress Vivian Kerr, is yet another festival darling that is indeed charming, but one that doesn’t quite pack a punch with its overall visual design and technical execution.

Kerr headlines Scrap as Beth, a single mother trying to survive in Los Angeles. After losing a job, she moves in with her concerned novelist brother, Ben (Anthony Rapp), and his cynical lawyer wife, Stacy (Lana Parrilla). A splash of old-timey music complements the personality of Kerr’s protagonist — a cinematic cousin of Greta Gerwig’s Frances from Frances Ha (2012) and Lena Dunham’s Hannah Horvath from the popular HBO series Girls (2012-17). Overall, Scrap is visually clean and features standout performances from the primary leads, but Kerr doesn’t quite get down and dirty with her filmmaking. Instead, she mostly adheres to the standard practices of a typical Los Angeles-based indie production. Wide shots look sharp and glossy, even if they’re not that memorable or innovative. And characters spout relatable dialogue about the human condition, at least when they’re not speaking in cliches about L.A. culture or navigating the usual places that one typically sees in L.A.-based flicks (Beverly Hills, Melrose Avenue, Griffith Park).

Scrap Review: Related — Know the Cast: ‘Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F’

Overall, Scrap is undoubtedly an accessible film. General audiences can relate to Beth and appreciate Kerr’s organic and emotive performance, while most cinephiles will presumably recognize the aforementioned Rapp from retro classics like Adventures in Babysitting (1987) and Dazed and Confused (1993). Plus, Parrilla is another familiar face (Spin City, Once Upon a Time) who brings her A-game and adds depth to the story with her character’s combative yet sympathetic demeanor. Still, it’s the little directorial things that reveal Scrap’s minor flaws. If Kerr doesn’t show the gritty side of L.A., then hopefully she’ll accentuate the city’s multicultural energy. Unfortunately, many scenes feel almost too clean. A skating rink sequence lacks energy (and people), and the same goes for various mall scenes. As both a filmmaker and performer, Kerr’s best moments transpire during home sequences that feel natural and are far removed from stiff city scenes that reinforce the setting but lack proper mise-en-scène.

Scrap Review: Related — Soundtracks of Cinema: ‘Divorce in the Black’

Scrap successfully pulls at the heartstrings of viewers and would’ve been even more impactful with a tighter focus on culture. Where does Beth go in Los Angeles when she’s really feeling down? And what does her writer brother truly believe about his fans and the industry in general? Scrap is no doubt a quality indie, and Kerr’s acting remains on point from act to act, as she is smooth, natural and often hilarious. But viewers may ask themselves this question: would Scrap work better with less standard L.A.-themed scenes and more domestic drama? I think so. Scrap could easily be pitched to a major streaming service as a TV series, but it would perhaps benefit Kerr to first focus on addressing some minor filmmaking issues, such as visual style and on-the-page detail, that will separate her from the pack.

Q.V. Hough (@QVHough) is Vague Visages’ founding editor.

Scrap Review: Related — Know the Cast: ‘MaXXXine’