actionfilm-2 Enjoy nihilism? Scenes of squalor, abuse, emotional pain and death? Then this is the film for you. Enjoy expert cinematography, wonderfully natural performances, black humor and emotionally engaging characters? Again, this is the film to watch. An anti-Disney film centering around a boy and his misery. Has an opening credits scene I consider among the top ten of all time in terms of originality and execution. Some IMDb reviewers apply the word dull to this film, consider they were perhaps weened on MTV and the hyper active style filmmaking that followed. Ratcatcher is perhaps how cinema used to be in terms of pacing. Looking for entertainment? Look elsewhere. Need help entering a state of depression? Use Ratcatcher.

freemantle_uk Grim social dramas and kitchen sink dramas are a stable of the British film industry. There are ever present in some form or another and Ratcatcher served as Lynne Ramsay's directional debut.In a rough housing estate in Glasgow in the 1970s James Gillespie (William Eadie) is a 12-year-old boy who accidentally kills another boy during a fight. Despite his guilt James hopes his family can move to a new housing estate and way from the urban decay and poverty of his home area as rubbish builds up on the street. During the course of the film James befriends an older girl, Margaret (Leanne Mullen), who is used as a sex toy for a gang of local thugs, sees the anti-social behaviour and social deprivation of the area.Ratcatcher is certainly a grim film as we see the world of urban poverty, whilst Ramsay also adds some artistic flashes. Ratcatcher is an art-house film that film scholars would eagerly dissects every scene and shot with glee. But as a story there is no real narrative throughline, as elements are more loosely connected. There are obvious themes about a young boy coming-of-age, losing his innocents in a number of ways, his sexual awakening and wider themes about urban decay, social commentary about ignored estates and how authority is distrusted as we see it through a child's eyes.There are many story lines that could easily have worked as their own films, whether it is a whole story of a young boy trying to hide what he did whilst also struggling alone with his guilt, or a film about why Margaret is abused and the impact on the girl or even seeing more through the boy's eyes.Ratcatcher is a very well-acted film with the young cast and Ramsay does not shy away from the more controversial aspects of the film. Ramsay does showcase a very cruel environment that is tough to watch (and it meant to be). Ramsay also has more dreamy quality to some of her scenes and shots, such as when James is running in a field. But there is a sequence with a mouse floating when tied to a balloon which was really out of place.Ratcatcher is a solid debut film from Ramsay, but it is a film that is lacking a real story or drive. There are better films with this type of setting and have more of a story, including the Glasgow set Red Road.

RayWetCanvas I had never heard about Lynne Ramsay's films. I saw this film on the strength of the powerful and provocative WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT KEVIN, which still haunts me. I thought RATCATCHER was an interesting almost artful docu-drama of urban life in the inner city of Scotland. The characters were real. This was a subtle film. I understand it was Ramsay's directorial debut. Its amazing to see her first film and what she's evolved to in WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT KEVIN. What a metamorphosis. Another first film directed by Dees Reese PARIAH, same urban domestic turmoil, different context left me with much more empathy for its characters. also FROZEN RIVER or BALLAST, two outstanding films on small budgets. I left RATCATCHER feeling somewhat satisfied, however I was lacking in empathy for the characters because of a weak linear plot line. Many things were left for the viewer to decide.Ramsay paints her picture with a broad brush, you are left to connect the dots. Pivotal scenes did not seem that important because of the lack of character development with the exception of the main actor, James. Another weakness in the film was too many characters and lack of closure. Too many characters and not enough time to complete their story. We are left with unanswered questions. Mike Leigh's films of urban life in London & the UK re: VERA DRAKE, ANOTHER YEAR, SECRETS & LIES, HAPPY-GO-LUCKY seem to have a similar direction of what Ramsay was trying to achieve, however Leigh keeps his characters to a small circle allowing him & us to explore them in more depth. Seeing urban life portrayed in other countries makes me feel they are not much different from the inner-city problems we have here in America. I always come away from a foreign film learning from it. I gave this a 4 out of 10.

juanathan This is more of a 7.5/10 Lynn Ramsay made a promising debut with this feature. It is the typical first feature. They make an above average movie where they can later improve on their techniques to create a "great" film.I have minor faults with this film. The score at the beginning is too sentimental for such an unsentimental film but later improves itself greatly with the music. I thought the first scene of the accidental death was not documented enough and it leaves you pretty confused. Some of the characters' problems go in and out of the movie and I just wished there was more insight. A few of Ramsay's techniques got a little tiresome.Ahhhhhhhh. Great Imagery. I am such a sucker for good cinematography. There are three beautifully poetic scenes in the film you will not forget(the pasture, the trip to the moon, and the wonderfully ambiguous end that reminded me of My Own Private Idaho)The film gets good performances all around. The protagonist James is interesting but very mysterious because Ramsay keeps most of her characters at a distance. The protagonist's father is also a standout. It never let me get bored and was interesting. There are some very well done scenes involving the protagonist's father. In the latter part of the film, the score is used very effectively.