The directorial debut of Chris Skotchdopole's **CRUMB CATCHER** offers viewers a very dark but rewarding glimpse into a troubled newlywed couple besieged by a gregarious and emboldened salesman who literally won't take no for an answer. It's one of the best directing debuts in recent memory and portends good things are yet to come for Skotchdopole's future work. Holed up in their Honeymoon Airbnb by a very Glengarry Glenn Ross-esque salesman -- played by John Speradakos who chews through the scenery with his dark satire performance -- Shane (Rigo Garay) and Leah's (Ella Rae Peck) happily-ever-after hits a roadblock when the sales pitch turns into blackmail. As the stakes rise, the film offers one of the most anxious, white-knuckled last acts in recent memory. Special mention is warranted for Garay's frenzied performance (who contributed writing duties with Skotchdopole and Larry Fessenden) which deftly carries the full weight of the terror in his panic-stricken eyes. With an impressive debut and a lesser-known cast, **CRUMB CATCHER** is one of the best kept secrets from 2023 that deserves more praise.
