Review: ‘Scrapper’
Words by Madeleine Von Malmborg / Edited by Mia Stapleton
On the backdrop of a dreary council estate, Charlotte Reagan brings a dazzling and vivid novelty to British social realism. Scrapper (2023) tells the story of Georgie (Lola Campbell), a young girl whose mother has recently passed. Strong-willed and independent, she sets out to look after herself– making money stealing bikes, and having the local shopkeeper voice the illusion of her uncle, Winston Churchill. That is, until Jason (Harris Dickinson) – the absentee father- returns from a stint in Ibiza after a final wish from Georgie’s mother, demanding to be let into her life by jumping the garden fence. This beautiful directorial debut takes us through Georgie’s grief (which she is desperate to be done with), and the journey of two strangers, joined only by blood and a need for each other.
Following the steps of Charlotte Wells’ coming-of-age drama ‘Aftersun’, Scrapper maintains a consistent element of comedy that works to support an otherwise rather bleak storyline, paired with the brightness of British monotony– painted houses, lively football matches and tracksuits, as well as familiar images of summer in the countryside. Between these two films is the complicated matter of a father and daughter both trying to survive in each other’s warmth. However, if you (like me) were left devastated by Aftersun, Scrapper holds power in Georgie and Jason, deciding they can be a good team. The film thrives in its ability to not take itself too seriously despite its serious subjects. Teachers, social workers, and schoolgirls are subject to interviews about Georgie, as well as talking spiders, which brought out a quiet chuckle in the cinema. Scrapper breaks away from the norm – Regan gives this community strength and positivity not often seen in working-class characters.
Harris Dickinson has been having his star moment this year, so it is heart-warming to watch the way Lola Campbell (a newcomer on the film scene) plays around him, with improvised scenes showing the journey of these two coming to trust each other. It is a charming film well worth the watch amid a time of hopelessness, with a guarantee to make you smile at least once.
Featured Image Credit: Plex