Analysis of Ratcatcher Opening Sequence

The film ‘Ratcatcher’ was released in 2002 and directed by Lynne Ramsay. It is a social realist drama also combined with expressionism/surrealism.
The sequence opens with a close up shot of a boy spinning round whilst wrapping himself up in a curtain. The shot is really slowed down, slow enough that you can see the separate frames. It gives a surreal effect as it is so slow that to start with it is difficult to make out what you are watching. It is accompanied by a lot of background noise, you can hear children playing and speaking in the background which also gives the opening quite a surreal effect. The sound suddenly becomes a lot louder and normal pace of action is resumed with the boy getting a slap in the head from his mother. This immediately represents social realism as it shows what it is really like in a home as it is does not appear staged at all. The lighting is natural which casts shadows on the faces of the characters and leaves parts of the room they are in slightly darker; it shows what an everyday house and person would look like. The sequence goes on to show the relationship between the mother and son. They argue over small things such as the boy not wanting his trousers tucked into his boots. It represents a normal household which allows the audience to identify with the characters.