Charlotte Regan’s feature debut Scrapper is a story about childhood grief and is as funny as it is poignant.

The film opens to find a young girl, Georgie, hoovering and emptying the bins of a silent, empty house. 

Georgie has recently lost her mum and now living alone, the street smart 12 year old pays the bills by stealing bikes with the help of her best friend and lookout Ali. 

When a man with bleach blond hair hops over the garden fence and introduces himself as Jason, Georgie’s father, it seems that Georgie might not be so alone after all.  

Scrapper seamlessly weaves between humour and heartfelt moments.

The first act of the film largely follows Georgie on her petty theft antics with Ali, largely driven by Georgie’s candid and no nonsense demeanour. Director Charlotte Regan does a great job of turning childhood obliviousness into an awkward and genuinely funny start to the film. 

It’s the moments when she sneaks out to watch old videos of her mum that will have you tearing up, don’t forget to bring tissues. 

So when Jason pops up and begins to awkwardly try and connect to Georgie, you are really, really rooting for him to get through to her. As all hope seems lost it’s ultimately a mother’s message that shows them how much they have in common. 

Newcomer Lola Campbell hits the ground running as Georgie, opposite Harris Dickinson (Triangle of Sadness, The King’s Man).

The duo work terrifically well on screen with Campbell’s fierce attitude bouncing off of Dickinson’s cheeky persona.

Dickinson has been making something of a name for himself since his 2017 breakout lead role in Beach Rats. The London born rising star is certainly one to watch and if you see his name popping up, don’t be too surprised, just make a B line for his next flick.

With Georgie at the centre, Scrapper has a bright set bursting with colour that shows that despite her loss, she is still just a little girl. Energetic voiceovers of house spiders add just some of the artistic air of childhood to the film despite its more serious undertones which make watching an estranged father reconnecting with his daughter surprisingly tense and thankfully heartfelt.

4 out of 5 stars – Definitely worth a watch.