There is almost nothing worse than an unwelcome guest who overstays their welcome. Crumb Catcher manages to take the discomfort of such an occasion and make it a hundred times worse. All writer-director Chris Skotchdopole had to do was take an awkward new marriage, an off-the-rails waiter who wants to be an inventor, and a little sexual blackmail, and blend in the absolute horror of a home invasion to create one of the most uncomfortable and cringe-inducing films to screen this year.

Crumb Catcher opens like a Cooper Raiff film: endearing and a little cynical. Leah (Ella Rae Peck) and Shane (Rigo Garay) pose for their wedding photographer, struggling to conjure up the emotions of a couple about to embark on their happily ever after. The photographer goads them with questions, trying to inspire them to smile and laugh and act like they’re in love for the money shot, and it’s through these stiff, stilted answers that Skotchdopole introduces the first sign of trouble in their whirlwind romance. Leah works for the publishing house that is set to publish Shane’s novel, which is based on his absent-from-the-wedding father, and it’s clearly driven a wedge between them that Leah is oblivious to.

With the first few scenes of the film, it’s nearly impossible to discern what direction Crumb Catcher is headed. There’s tension between the couple, a hint of underlying money troubles, and a taste for liquor, but beyond that, it feels like a slice-of-life drama, not a home invasion thriller. At least, that is right up until the moment John (John Speredakos) steps into the picture. After a wedding cake mix-up during their wedding that neither Leah nor Shane seem entirely bothered about, John makes it his life’s mission to make it right—for his own, psychotic reasons. He tracks them down to the remote house that Leah’s editor has gifted to them for their honeymoon, strong-arms his way inside with his partner-in-crime Rose (Lorraine Ferris), and turns their honeymoon into all-out hell.

What’s worse than a home invasion? A boundary-crossing salesman trying to bully $50,000 out of the homeowner’s bank account to bankroll their useless invention: The Crumb Catcher. John’s sales pitch almost rivals some of the more anxiety-inducing scenes in The Menu, complete with a dinner from hell and a madman with a gun.

‘Crumb Catcher’s Script Leaves a Lot of Loose Threads
Image via Glass Eye Pix and Gigantic Pictures. 

Skotchdopole’s script is incredibly clever with the way it drops breadcrumb clues about the characters, but sometimes the breadcrumbs lead to questions, rather than answers. There are plenty of allusions to the subject of Shane’s book and hints at why Leah didn’t invite his father to their wedding, but they’re vague and left entirely unanswered. While Peck and Garay are stupendous actors who play off each other quite nicely, the script frames their relationship as cold and ill-matched romantically. This narrative choice makes it difficult to sympathize with either of them or even root for their survival—which also, ultimately, aids in making the film a wholly uncomfortable experience from start to bitter finish.

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Aside from plot decisions that will leave audiences screaming at the characters to “LOCK THE DOOR!” there are other issues with the script that might leave them unsettled for all of the wrong reasons. Crumb Catcher leaves it rather ambiguous as to whether or not Shane was coerced into the situation that provided Rose with ample blackmail to leverage against the newlyweds. Shane seems remorseful for it, as though he sought out Rose on his wedding night, but at the same time he appears wasted in the video—and since Rose was the bartender, it seems to suggest he was actually assaulted, which the film never addresses. If it had, perhaps it would’ve given both Shane and Leah stronger motivations in the final act, rather than delivering a rather flat reveal.

With a runtime of around ninety-eight minutes, Crumb Catcher doesn’t have a lot of time to develop its characters beyond the bare necessities. John is a cartoonishly frantic and deranged man, who seems entirely detached from reality, while Rose is just his Vanna White in a red dress, whose motives are largely unknown to the audience. There are whispers of a backstory, but they’re hidden behind closed doors, and never given the chance to mature beyond being bullied and browbeaten by John.

Despite its nearly fatal flaws, Crumb Catcher is an insanely impressive directorial feature debut for Skotchdopole. It’s funny, bizarre, uncomfortable, and an absolute cringe-fest for all the best reasons. Skotchdopole has secured himself as a writer-director to keep an eye on, as he continues to refine his skill and explore the depths of depravity with a clever, humorous voice.

Grade: B

The Big Picture

Crumb Catcher is an uncomfortable and cringe-inducing film that combines an awkward marriage, an off-the-rails waiter, sexual blackmail, and a home invasion. The script drops breadcrumb clues about the characters but leaves many questions unanswered, making it difficult to sympathize with them or root for their survival. Despite its flaws, Crumb Catcher is an impressive directorial debut that is funny, bizarre, uncomfortable, and showcases the skill of writer-director Chris Skotchdopole.

Crumb Catcher premiered at the 2023 Fantastic Fest.