Murder! "The Scenesters" Are Making The Perfect Murder Mystery Film

The Scenesters (2009)

Rated R

Starring Blaise Miller, Sherilyn Fenn, Suzanne May, Jeff Grace, Todd Berger, Kevin Brennan, Monika Jolly,

Written and Directed by Todd Berger

The Story:

Charlie (Miller) is a crime scene cleaner. The police (Brennan & Jolly) have fun at his expense. It's when the new crime scene videographer (Grace) and his producer friend (Berger) realize that Charlie is stumbled upon a serial killer, they decide to film a murder mystery outside of their day jobs. The clues and the bodies begin to mount as suspicions are raised and artistic liberties are taken.

A movie within a movie movie unfolds as the story begins with the court case where the lawyer (Fenn) is questioning the people behind the scenes of the movie within the movie. Then we are treated to various flashbacks and memories that elaborate more on the story that unfolds between courtroom tensions.

At its heart though, it's a comedic whodunit which offers multiple suspects and red herrings aplenty.

At times, it is reminiscent of Nightcrawler which may have been the pitch, "imagine the Scenesters, but not played for laughs!"

East Los Angeles and the indie music scene plays an important part of the film as both soundtrack and setting for much of the film.

Pretty good movie, one that you may have missed when it came out in 2009, but now through the streaming of Amazon Prime, you can rectify that anytime you want!

Fenn is the only recognizable name/face in the cast as the majority is from a Los Angeles comedy troupe.

Good laughs, good tension.

Pretty good viewing experience.

Final Grade: C+ / B- range.