‘Scrapper Movie Review [Sundance 2023]: Lola Campbell And Harris Dickinson Charm In LowKey FatherDaughter Story

The Sundance Film Festival is known for bringing original and independent stories to the big screen, and 2023 is no different. Scrapper by Charlotte Regan provides a beautiful property with personality and lots of hearts. This simple yet poignant father-daughter story is enhanced by powerful performances that feel authentic from start to finish.

© Provided by Showbiz CheatSheet 'Scrapper' Movie Review 3.5 Star Rating

"The Eliminator" follows the sudden appearance of a single dad

© Submitted by Showbiz CheatSheet LR: Harris Dickinson as Jason and Lola Campbell as Georgie | Chris Harris / Courtesy of the Sundance Institute

A free-spirited 12-year-old named Georgie (Lola Campbell) lives alone in a flat in suburban London after the death of her mother. He tricked every part of the system, including the social workers, into thinking he was living with a non-existent uncle. Meanwhile, Georgi works with her boyfriend Ali (Alin Ozon) to earn a living by stealing bikes.

One day, her father Jason (Harris Dickinson in Sad Triangle ) shows up unannounced and immediately takes over the game she is playing. However, they had not seen each other for so long that Georgy did not even recognize him. Georgie questions Jason's intentions after he suddenly decides to move back into his life, believing he doesn't need an adult to help her.

independence and isolation

Scrapper begins by quoting, "It takes an entire village to raise a child," but Reagan immediately replies, "I can raise myself, thanks." Georgie is an emotionally and physically independent girl who develops her own system to keep her head above water. You know the person you sell the stolen bikes to, and so do the store employees. Georgie finds a way to use audio recordings to trick social workers into thinking they are talking to her imaginary uncle.

Georgie refused to take handouts and learned the value of hard work and a clean house. Regan's story boils down to non-narrative characters breaking the fourth wall to engage the audience and paint a fuller picture of the hero. At first, Georgie seems to like her life the way it is, but she misses her childhood. With no parents in her life, she is forced to assume the role of an adult.

When Jason arrives, Georgie understandably questions his intentions. At first, nothing seems to motivate her to return, but her threats to tell social workers she lives alone leave her with no choice but to let him stay. Scrapper features a father trying to rekindle a relationship with his daughter because the closest thing he has to his dad is his smartphone with old videos of happier times with his mom. But thanks to Jason, Georgie gets a chance to see a side of her mom she never knew she could.

Scrapper is real fun

© Submitted by Showbiz CheatSheet Lola Campbell as Georgie | Chris Harris / Courtesy of the Sundance Institute

Regan brings visual whimsy to her bizarre copycat story. There are moments when the tracks build on a fluid pace, but the aesthetically pleasing ones are deft and meaningful. Georgie already acts like an adult in many ways, though these scenes show audiences that she still has the mind and imagination of a 12-year-old.

With her mother dead, she is unjustly deprived of the world her father cannot replace. However, there are some incredibly cute scenes between Jason and Georgie that hit the emotional sweet spot, like him having to explain what the Tooth Fairy is and the legends behind it. In a way, the movie is about reliving childhood.

Campbell as Georgie is infectious, finding the distance between the wonders of her childhood and the mature sensibility she had to learn. Meanwhile, Dickinson is just as awesome as Jason, hitting every emotional punch. Eliminator is the equivalent of a warm hug, secretly building characters who are easy to keep.

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