Frank Reina was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and forged his craft alongside Hollywood's biggest productions and luminaries. He worked with legendary producer Robert Evans (Chinatown), and on Christopher Nolan's Interstellar and The Dark Knight Rises as a production assistant. He also served as the right-hand man to action maestro Spiro Razatos (Fast & Furious franchise).
His credits span over 20 major studio films, including Captain America: Civil War, F9: The Fast Saga, Bad Boys for Life, Venom, and the Coen Bros.' Hail, Caesar! He wrote and directed Scrambled, a comic romp described as "a cross between South Park and Almodóvar", along with the short films Shit!, White Shark, Star Tails, and Key Nuts.
His next project, Future Vibrant Self, follows one man's unraveling and reinvention across book, film, and digital experience — a cross-media exploration of personal transformation.
If you don't take comedy seriously, adjust your attention
An omelet chef's shot at culinary greatness gets scrambled when his ex-best friend — a chaotic ex-con with a notorious injury — is released from prison and drags him into escalating mayhem that threatens to destroy his career, his new girl, and his sanity. All in the name of their best friendship.
Making this movie almost killed me. My producer died. My production attorney died. My lead actor, Tomer Shechori died. After production.
I wear an opal ring to remind myself: I owe them this.
I shot Scrambled in 2012, when Obama was president and 'The Dark Knight Rises' ruled the summer box office.
My lead actor dropped out the day before production. We shot for three days without a protagonist. I was this close to getting ready to sling omelettes in front of the camera.
I recut it. Recomposed the score. Got rejected from every major and minor festival.
They said it was too immature. Too offensive. Too cartoonish.
They were right.
This is a comedy written from the perspective of a 20-something man-child who thinks omelettes are philosophy and betrayal is a juicy punchline. It's messy, juvenile, and over-the-top — because that's what immaturity is.
I wrote it after a brutal breakup, channeling all my rage, enthusiasm, and confusion into a screwball scenario where egg whites = self-worth and loyalty = crime. It's 'Animal House' meets 'South Park' meets a Pedro Almodóvar fever dream. It takes serious themes — best friendship, brotherhood, masculinity, relationships – and spins them absurd.
Because here's the twist: With increasing immaturity comes unlimited confidence. You attempt things that mature people would never risk. You fail spectacularly. You learn. You grow. But first, you have to play.
I love omelettes. I love Anthony Bourdain's idea that food brings people together. There aren't many omelette movies, so I made one. It's about a guy who's really good at eggs and really bad at life, and the ex-best friend who all he wants is to be legit BFFs again.
It's ridiculous. It's sincere. It's scrambled.
I hope you laugh. I hope you share it with friends who appreciate dangerous comedy. I hope Tomer, Ric, and David are watching somewhere, shaking their heads, knowing it was worth it.
Best friendships never die.
