As her adolescence gives way to the obligations of motherhood, troubled Gemma matures in Motherwell, her Scottish hometown, heavily dependent on the steel industry. Unfortunately for her, her hedonistic way of understanding the world does not fit in with the philosophy of the rest of the villagers, so trouble soon follows.
Fortunately, aside from being a deeply impressive debut, this documentary exudes compassion for its subjects and finds a few glimmers of hopefulness among the debris. As the credits rolled, I wondered whether Gemma was okay. It’s hard not to become attached as you watch these “scheme birds” leave the nest and slowly find their instinct for freedom and survival on their own terms.
- Jake Watt
Read Jake's full article...
https://www.maketheswitch.com.au/article/review-scheme-birds-a-gritty-scottish-coming-of-age-tale