I caught this at the Garden State Film Festival (where it won Best Feature: Drama) and really enjoyed it. It's gritty, clever and fast paced. Kurtwood Smith is Benno, a career criminal who has found a new life among the scruffy staff and customers of Alice's diner. For those who know him from That 70's Show you won't be surprised at his piercing stare or sardonic smile, but the rough edges he displays here are what makes him so fun (and a bit terrifying). Richard Edson (maybe not a household name but you've seen him all over the place) steals quite a few scenes of his own in his turn as a nobody looking for a little respect. These characters and the rest of the colorful cast lie, cheat and steal their way through their seedy world until they all get what's coming to them (or not) in the surprising climax.
Review of Hard Scrambled
