SFIAAFF 30 Reviews: Akira Boch's 'The Crumbles'

The
Crumbles, written and directed by Akira Boch,
centers around a twenty-something, girl-next-door musician Darla (Katie Hipol) who
dreams of playing beyond her apartment. Darla spends her days listlessly working at a
local bookstore and tries (unsuccessfully) to join local bands. Then her old pal Elisa (Teresa Michelle Lee) shows up unexpectedly, needing a place
to crash after a dramatic breakup with her ex-boyfriend/band mate. A musical
partnership between Elisa and Dar organically forms, and they quickly recruit a
drummer (Jeff Torres) to flesh out their new band: The Crumbles.

Throughout the course of the film, Dar and Elisa’s relationship cycles through dischord and harmony over gigs, ex-boyfriends, and personal
ambitions (or lack thereof). Their dynamic will feel familiar to those who’ve
gone through the roller coaster of emotions after breaks with old buddies or
have that one exhilarating yet exhausting friend.

The band is also surrounded by an
eclectic and colorful circle of characters that come with their own antics and unconventional
dreams. Comedian Amy Hill makes an appearance as the owner of Good Girl Dinette.

Inspired by real–life
indie band experience and two years in the making, The Crumbles was filmed over only 14 days
in Los Angeles’ Silverlake and Echo Park neighborhoods -- with an original pop/rock soundtrack composed
and performed by Quetzal Flores. The pacing and dialogue is suggestive of
mumblecore, and the film transmits the everyday, true-to-life ambiguity
and awkwardness that comes with navigating twenty-something relationships and aspirations.