Crust

Crust is like the "Little Engine That Could"...except it's a film.

Sean Whalen - one of those "where do I know him from?" actors (hint: SO MANY movies) - makes his directorial debut, and brings his friends along for the ride.

Whalen plays a former child actor who now runs a laundromat. Through a series of events, he...well...I don't want to spoil anything. Let's just say you'll never look at socks the same way again.

This dark comedy - most of which is in black and white - brings together Whalen, Daniel Roebuck, Rebekah Kennedy, Felissa Rose and Alan Ruck in a movie that will have you laughing and cringing (in a good way!) ...sometimes simultaneously.

It's an indie film, so the budget is low...but that doesn't mean it looks cheap - far from it. It's a film that doesn't really need more than it has. And the acting and story are both top notch.

Crust comes across like a cult classic...and deserves to be one.

Crust is such a delightful film! Sean Whalen has written a unique, creative story, and his directorial debut feels like an instant cult classic.

Paul/Vegas Winters, a former child star, now spends his days attending a laundromat. While wallowing in self pity, Paul habitually wipes his various bodily fluids onto socks, tossing them in a pile. After a viral video makes his whereabouts known, he becomes the laughingstock of town.

Fed up with the humiliation, fed up with his depression, the pile of socks comes to life to eliminate Paul's enemies; Crust is born!

This film plays with themes of mental health, showing the dark side of depression and anxiety, while wrapped in a fun and quirky premise. I appreciated how relatable the story was -- I'm sure anybody who's dealt with depression can find kinship in Whalen's character. He captures the sense of loneliness and abandonment from one's peers, causing one to latch onto any kind of crutch one can find that offers a reprieve from their depression. And the feeling of betrayal when the few supportive loved ones call out one's crutch for what it is.

Whether Crust is a benevolent or malignant force, it is clear the creature inspires confidence in Paul and sparks life in the previously empty soul.

I truly enjoyed this film. The supporting cast of Rebekah Kennedy as the love interest who sees Paul's true light, and Daniel Roebuck as the best friend who causes Paul as much grief as he does joy, were a perfect counterbalance for Whalen's heartfelt story.

Very excited to see what other gems come out of Sean Whalen's mind.

With a sea of remakes and movies you've seen over and over this movie has such an interesting and original plot that make it a breath of fresh air. The acting is amazing and it has a great combination of comedy and horror. I rented the movie and 30 minutes and I went back and bought it because I knew it would be something I would want to rewatch and recommend to friends. Sean Whalen is such a great actor and always steals the movie no matter how much screen time he has so I was instantly interested in checking out his directorial debut. Cyber hi-five for everyone involved in the making of this film and Hope to see more from Sean and the rest of the crew .

Don't go by the trailer, screenshots or synopsis alone. It'll make you assume the worst. The truth is this is a worthwhile comedy/horror (it's comedy with a campy horrific moment here and there). The humor is zany and it definitely holds your interest. I'm very picky yet couldn't stop watching. The acting is also better than I expected. Sean Whalen, Alan Ruck, Daniel Roebuck and Felissa Rose are all a hoot. There's even a touch of romance mixed in. Heck, technically there's even a twist ending. The choice of black and white and splitting the film into segments was a cool touch too. I recommend giving this a watch, particular if in a certain state of mind. You'll get a kick out of it. Bizarre yet worth it.

Crust was a crazy, wild, original gem right from the brilliant mind of Sean Whalen! It was well executed on all levels, the performances were all top notch and the premise was like nothing I've seen before (and that was a good thing)! Sean is incredible as Paul/Vegas in the lead role and Rebekah Kennedy gives a stand out performance as Nila, his love interest! I'm really glad this film was released in a theatre near me and I was able to see it on a big screen, it was an experience that will stick with me for a while! Go see Crust in the theatre or make sure to check it out when it's available to stream, you won't regret it!