Scrapper

"One of the gripping opening sequences in Charlotte Regan’s feature-length debut, Scrapper, is a long-range zoom shot of the scrappy, eccentric, cast of characters in Georgie’s (Lola Campbell) tweenage years in London. The camera is positioned on a viewpoint overlooking the local park.The camera whips and bobs left and right, zooming in and out on all the shenanigans happening simultaneously at different parts of the park. It feels as if we—the viewers— are spying on all the characters that we’re not yet acquainted with, setting the tone for the mischievous, energetic atmosphere for the rest of the movie. I’m unsure whether this was one long, continuous shot that was pulled off thanks to a powerful digital zoom from a fancy sports broadcasting camcorder, or something that was edited together in post, but regardless, it looks fantastic and feels representative of the current aesthetic trends that I’ve seen in 2020s indie cinema. A generation of artists utilizing digital recording to its fullest potential and experimenting with the breadth of visual styles it offers. Something about these fast, raw zooms and mid-shot camera adjustments really works for me. Scrapper is a father-daughter dramedy that balances the realism of a child grieving the most significant loss of her life with the fantastical, melancholic nature of her internal world as she learns to cope with her new reality. She tricks London’s lackluster Child Welfare System into believing she’s living with her uncle, who doesn’t exist. During the days following the death of her mother, Georgie spends her time away from school roaming the streets with her friend Ali (Alin Uzun) as they flip stolen bikes for some quick cash. Things get complicated when her absent father (Harris Dickinson) shows up out of nowhere. "

"Lola Campbell is an astonishing talent. Should have an incredibly bright future. This film is good, but without her, it would pass unnoticed. She’s someone to watch. "