‘Scrapper’ Review: A Beautiful Story of Grief and Happiness

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This piece was written during the 2023 WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. Without the labor of the writers and actors currently on strike, the movie being covered here wouldn’t exist.

Recently, there have been a lot of films this year that deal with the topic of grief. A Good Person, The Boogeyman, and Haunted Mansion have all been released this year, but Scrapper is undoubtedly one of the best films dealing with bereavement. In addition to being one of the best films this year that deals with grief, Scrapper is also able to cover the subject matter in a short runtime while conveying its necessary themes.

Scrapper revolves around 12-year old Georgie (Lola Campbell) who after the death of her mother is living by herself. Georgie fills the flat they shared with her own little magic and she gets on well by herself by stealing and selling bikes for a living. However, it all comes crashing down when her estranged father Jason (Harris Dickinson) turns up out of the blue, forcing her to confront reality.

This film tackles the grief of a child perfectly. Most films depict the topic of grief as quite dark, and in most cases, it is. Scrapper takes this topic and tries to throw some light into it while still managing to be a very emotional film. Georgie’s lack of understanding about grief becomes evident as she discusses the five stages. It’s clear that she doesn’t really understand how the stages work. While the movie makes it out that she’s very capable on her own, it also shows us another side of Georgie.

The movie shows us Georgie’s side that still misses her mother as she watches videos of her daily as a reminder. In her acting debut, the amazing Lola Campbell portrays Georgie, a twelve-year-old girl who appears to be having a good time while also dealing with a situation that would be unfathomable for a child her age. She is the star of the movie and adds a lot of humor to it with her sharp and witty remarks of what is happening on-screen.

This marks Lola Campbell’s debut and Charlotte Regan’s directorial feature film premiere. Although she has produced numerous short films in the past, this is her first attempt at directing a feature film. She is capable of producing incredibly endearing films, and her writing demonstrates this. Regan keeps the movie’s plot relatively straightforward and avoids stuffing it too full of pointless exposition or drama. The plot gains momentum when Jason, portrayed by Harris Dickinson, becomes involved. Lola illustrates Georgie’s entire life changing wonderfully with her confusion and mistrust of him. The chemistry, not just between Lola and Harris but the whole cast, was magnificent and is what makes this film. Charlotte Regan crafted a straightforward yet robust script that the entire cast’s performances elevated.

Scrapper is another independent film with a unique aesthetic and voice, which recounts a heartwarming tale of a young girl coping with loss and unexpected changes in her life. By the time the movie is over, you’ll be crying tears of joy. Lola Campbell, who served as the film’s protagonist, and Charlotte Regan, whom I want to see more of in the independent film scene, are off to a terrific start.

★★★★

Scrapper will release in theaters on August 25.

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