Ratcatcher

Ratcatcher, a film by Lynne Ramsey, is a film that focuses on a 12-year-old boy, James Gillespie, during the 1973 strike of the garbage workers. This grim tale takes place in the Glasgow projects and focuses on the life of James as he goes through a tough time in his young life.

We are introduced to this film in a way that is unlike most films. At first, there is no soundtrack. A boy is having fun by spinning around in some curtains seemingly in his own world. However, we are quickly brought back to reality by a slap in the head from the boys mother. The way that slow motion is used in this scene is astonishing. For a few moments, the audience is captivated in this child's play and it seems as though nothing could go wrong. Little does the child know what will happen when he goes out to play. The death of the boy causes James' a mental dilemma. When he watches his friend drown in the pond, he doesn't tell anyone about it, for fear of being blamed or beaten. This eventually causes James to lose another friend close to him.

The camera work in this film is something to behold. Artistic angles of the camera create beautiful imagery that every viewer should enjoy. The camera acts as though it is an extension of James' imagination as he explores the new housing complexes being built in a better part of the neighborhood. An extraordinary bird's eye view is used as James climbs down a flight of stairs in the new structure and close-up view then shows his curiosity as he enters a room with an amazing view of a wheat field. Close-ups and unique camera angles are not the only things that stick out, however. The camera uses many wide shots to show the slums that James lives in and focuses more on his surroundings it seems than himself.

As amazing as the camera angles are, they are not the only part of the movie that is sure to catch the attention of the audience. The amazing use of lighting plays a very important role as well. Overall, this film is one that should be seen by anyone that is in love with the film industry. This breakthrough, first-time film is one that should be appreciated by all.