‘Crumb Catcher’ Review – A Delightful Twist On A Home Invasion

It’s tough to pull off the very real experience of a situation so uncomfortable that it turns terrifying. Chris Skotchdopole captures the very essence of this feeling and takes it to a whole new level in his stunning directorial debut feature Crumb Catcher, co-written by himself, Rigo Garay, and Larry Fessenden. The film follows Shane (Garay) and Leah (Ella Rae Peck) as a newlywed couple on their honeymoon and the odd guests who visit them at their remote rental house. The film is buzzing with style and flare from the outset, and this continues throughout its entirety. Quick cuts and flashing lights welcome the audience in as a harbinger of the chaos that will take place later in the movie. We’re quickly rushed through a brief introduction to the happy couple revealing that they are also in business together, with Leah’s publishing company on the brink of publishing Shane’s debut book about his life.

What follows is a zany, high-octane twist on a classic home invasion film that is memorable to say the least. Soon after arriving at their honeymoon rental house, they are visited by none other than John (played brilliantly by John Speredakos), one of the wedding waiters from the night before. He’s finally found their missing wedding cake and somehow found his way to deliver it to them. At first, a quirky exchange between the three quickly turns unsettling as John continually finds ways to keep the conversation flowing and stay in the house. John’s a chatty guy, and can make the thinnest of connections turn into an anecdote or reference that no one could see coming. 

While this is a story about unwelcome guests, there’s a rather compelling relationship drama at its core. On the drive to the honeymoon, it’s abundantly clear that Leah and Shane are not as exuberant as you might expect them to be. They’ve both got some issues to work through together, and both sides have sound arguments. Both Ella Rae Peck and Rigo Garay are outstanding in their roles, making the viewer feel every emotion alongside them. Things are already rocky between them, and it only gets worse in the way they each attempt to handle the situation with John. There are also points where their love for one another shines through the madness around them and their strife with one another, and it’s a nice reminder that even a marriage as young as theirs can work through problems and still show love when it matters the most. 

The most powerful part of this film is the kinetic energy that keeps it moving and brings real excitement the whole way through. Only a couple of scenes allow you to take a breath, and once John gets the ball rolling there’s no turning back. How the film is edited helps bring the energy, switching expertly between quick cuts at intriguing angles to longer shots with swift pans that repeatedly disorient you. You can tell that Skotchdople is trying to align the audience with the way Shane and Leah feel and bring them into the entire discombobulating experience. The dark comedic undertones of John’s performance border on sinister for the majority of the film, and part of the fun is trying to discern whether he’s just aloof to his social settings or if there’s a more menacing motivation there. 

Crumb Catcher is easily one of the strongest directorial debuts of the decade, with Chris Skotchdople elevating what could have been an average home invasion horror flick into a darkly comedic, electric twist on the genre. Delightfully complex performances from Garay, Peck, and Speredakos keep the energy moving and are wonderfully suited to Skotchdople’s filmmaking style.

Crumb Catcher will debut in select theaters on July 19, 2024, courtesy of Doppelgänger Releasing.