Scrapper: Film Review
Every year, we get at least one breakout child performance. It was Frankie Corio in Aftersun last year and now it’s Lola Campbell in Scrapper.
Campbell stars as Georgie, 12, who has been living on her own since her mother died not too long ago. Her new independent lifestyle is compromised when her estranged father Jason (Harris Dickinson), whom she has never met, shows up to look after her.
We all know the phrase, “It takes a village to raise a child.” Well, the film begins with Georgie scratching out that phrase and stating, “I can raise myself thanks.” Immediately, you get an idea of the film’s sense of humour and Georgie’s attitude. She may look like a child but she is a fully-fledged adult and a resourceful hustler capable of looking after herself, paying rent by selling stolen bikes and fooling social services that she’s living with an uncle named Winston Churchill (yes, really).
She doesn’t let Jason off easily. She gives him a hard time about leaving her and her mum. At first, she refuses to accept his food or money in protest – she doesn’t need his help and doesn’t trust anyone except her best friend Ali (Alin Uzun) but her walls eventually come down. Their bonding scenes, particularly the ones involving a dance routine and an improvised rich-person conversation, are wonderful to watch. The roles are almost reversed – she’s the adult and he’s the child. But he is determined to unburden her from that responsibility and let her be a kid.
The fact that Campbell manages to capture all of those sides of Georgie at such a young age is seriously impressive. Her sassy no-nonsense attitude – she’s not one to beat around the bush – cracked me up and her partnership with Uzun is delightful. But there are moments when Georgie’s hardened exterior softens and you’re reminded that she’s a grieving child. Dickinson is the perfect match and it’s heartwarming seeing them bond.
The film itself is pretty quirky too – writer/director Charlotte Regan employs funny asides to inject more comedy into the narrative. We see the thoughts of spiders around the house and a montage of local children giving their opinions on Georgie, for example. It’s an odd choice but an endearing one. I’m intrigued to see what Regan does next.
In cinemas Friday 25th August