Dir. Lynne Ramsay
1999, UK, 93 min
Rated 18A
In her breathtaking and assured debut feature, Lynne Ramsay creates a haunting evocation of a troubled Glasgow childhood. Set during Scotland’s national garbage strike of the mid-1970s, Ratcatcher explores the experiences of a poor adolescent boy as he struggles to reconcile his dreams and his guilt with the abjection that surrounds him. Utilizing beautiful, elusive imagery, candid performances, and unexpected humor, Ramsay deftly contrasts urban decay with a rich interior landscape of hope and perseverance, resulting in a work at once raw and deeply poetic.
“What is so striking and eerie about Ratcatcher is Ramsay’s brilliant way of rendering a trance-like, epiphanic child’s-eye-view of a hundred little things that present themselves to James’s senses.” – Peter Bradshaw, Guardian
“Lynne Ramsay’s first feature, a grim, grungy, yet wondrously lyrical evocation of lower-class life in 1970s Glasgow, was one of the most astonishing debuts of the 1990s. Shooting kitchen-sink detail through a magic-realist lens, Ramsay transfigures seemingly familiar material into cinematic poetry.” – Amanda Brason, TIFF
“Ramsay’s bold visual sense, droll wit and tender but unsentimental take on the various characters and their relationships makes for a distinctly poetic brand of gritty realism” – Geoff Andrew, Time Out
