Sean Whalen is the guy whose face you know from everything from The People Under the Stairs to that “Aaron Burr” Got Milk? commercial. He directed, wrote and stars as Vegas Winters, a former child star whose glory days are so far in the rearview mirror they’re practically in black and white. Now, he’s scrubbing stains and living a life of quiet desperation in a failing laundromat. He’s lonely, he’s depressed, and he’s surrounded by the one thing every laundromat has in abundance: abandoned, crusty socks.

But we don’t remain in sad indie drama territory for long. Through a cocktail of Vegas’s tears, misery and probably some questionable laundry chemicals, a pile of his filth-caked socks merges into a sentient, googly-eyed creature named Crust. At first, Crust is a quirky little buddy, the kind of offbeat companion a lonely guy needs. But it turns out this sock monster is fiercely protective. And by protective, we mean he’s willing to violently dispatch anyone who makes Vegas’s life difficult.

Whalen is a character actor treasure, and seeing him take the lead in his own twisted vision is a treat. He brings a genuine, heartbreaking pathos to Vegas that makes you root for him, even when he’s talking to a pile of hosiery. And look for favorites like Felissa Rose, Daniel Roebuck and Rebekah Kennedy. 

Crust is a bizarre, blood-stained love letter to the outcasts and the forgotten. It’s dark, it’s damp, and it’s definitely not permanent press. If you’ve ever felt like a single sock lost in the dryer of life, this movie is going to speak to you. Just maybe wash and fold your laundry before you sit down to watch it.

Extras include a commentary by Sean Whalen, two short films and a Q&A. You can get it from MVD.