Scrapper, 2023.
Written and Directed by Charlotte Regan.
Starring Lola Campbell, Harris Dickinson, Alin Uzun, Laura Aikman, Ambreen Razia, Asheq Akhtar, Olivia Brady, Sam Buchanan, Amy Lee Ronaldson, Matt Brewer, Joshua Frater-Loughlin, Freya Bell, and Sue King-Spear.
SYNOPSIS:
Georgie, a dreamy 12-year-old girl, lives happily alone in her London flat, filling it with magic. Suddenly, her estranged father turns up and forces her to confront reality.
This piece was written during the 2023 WGA and SAG-AFTRA strike. Without the labor of the writers and actors currently on strike, Scrapper wouldn’t exist.
The adage “it takes a village to raise a child” appears in scratchy chalk on-screen to open writer/director Charlotte Regan’s Scrapper, quickly erased and rewritten to say “I’m doing fine by myself, thank you.” It’s an amusing gag that sets a quirky tone for a lightweight, heartwarming film essentially about a 12-year-old girl living alone and grieving following tragically losing her mother to a terminal illness and the father that comes back into her life.
Impressively played by newcomer Lola Campbell (handling a complicated character and material that most child actors would either turn into something overly cute or aggravating, losing the heart and realism at the center of the person), Georgie has various systems in place for avoiding adults finding out about her lack of guardianship, who would, in turn, send child social services to the house. She rarely goes to school, creates voice snippets from other people to use during phone calls to the house meant to be a fake uncle, and primarily hangs out with her best friend Ali (Alin Uzun), stripping down bicycle parts and scrap metal to turn around and sell for cash.
There are also documentary-like cutaways (complete with the boxed-in photography) to teachers, other students, and those associated with her scrapping, often humorously commenting on her, referring to her as a strange person. Sometimes these bits are funny; other times, they are a reminder that this solid movie can’t escape all the Sundance clichés they either work or slightly bring a film down.
It’s also worth noting that ever since Georgie lost her mom, she seems to care even less about what people think or fitting in, letting her appearance take on a more unkempt look and boyish clothing in comparison to her stereotypical girly look during flashbacks to happier times fed to audiences through hard-to-let-go memories on her phone. As the on-screen graphics said, she is doing just fine, although she is not quite sure what stage of the grieving process she is on. Nevertheless, she is certain the last two phases will go by quickly.
This unsupervised bittersweet bliss is upended once Harris Dickinson’s Jason hops over the fence (the houses on the block are all painted in cotton candy colors, making for a visually striking view), breaking the news that he is George’s father and that he is here to get to know her. Naturally, Georgie is untrusting and wants nothing to do with them since she has already abandoned them once when they were presumably 18-year-old parents, with him simply not ready to be a father. Even when the two start getting along, it’s also abundantly clear that Jason doesn’t entirely know what he is doing or how to address certain situations (such as the file out to a fight Georgie gets in.)
Charlotte Regan presents the initial distrust and growing bond with a gentle and comedic touch. There are emotional beats here, but the screenplay and direction refuse to fall into melodrama, always remaining grounded and believably conveying the behavior and choices of these characters. Scrapper is sweet, short, and authentic, with outstanding performances throughout.
Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★ ★ ★
Robert Kojder is a member of the Chicago Film Critics Association and the Critics Choice Association. He is also the Flickering Myth Reviews Editor. Check here for new reviews, follow my Twitter or Letterboxd, or email me at MetalGearSolid719@gmail.com
