Blank Check with Griffin & David

Episode: Ratcatcher (January 18, 2026)

Main Theme

This episode marks the launch of a new Blank Check miniseries on director Lynne Ramsay. Hosts Griffin Newman, David Sims, and producer Ben Hosley (“Producer Ben”) dig into Ramsay’s debut feature, Ratcatcher (1999). They set Ramsay’s work in context, discuss its emotional power, and explore the particular challenges and rewards of her cinema, especially for first-time viewers. Throughout, they balance their signature brand of film-geek enthusiasm, tangents, and irreverence with genuine admiration for Ramsay's artistry.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Introduction to Lynne Ramsay & Miniseries Perspective

• Griffin introduces Lynne Ramsay as "one of the best filmmakers on the planet," comparing the excitement of this new series to previous director deep-dives (e.g. Buster Keaton).
• David emphasizes both the challenge and the vitality of Ramsay’s films, noting they are intense but not punishing:

  “These movies are not, in my opinion, punishing. They are difficult and they are challenging.” (06:11)

2. Ramsay’s Artistic Style & Emotional Power

• The hosts praise Ramsay's ability to handle "unspeakable realities of human life" with subtlety and style, finding catharsis rather than mere bleakness in her films.

  “She makes films about the things that we don't know how to talk about or even think about...they are all based in kind of like unspeakable realities of human life. And they are...in an understated way." (06:26)

• Ben and Griffin underscore how Ratcatcher and Ramsay’s body of work make them feel "more alive" and "connected to the human condition," pointing to the films’ cathartic potential.

  “You go out in the world after watching this film and it’s, you’re reminded you’re alive, you’re human.” (Ben, 14:33)

3. First Experiences with Ratcatcher

• David shares personal anecdotes about seeing Ratcatcher as a teen living in England and its strong emotional impact.

  “We were just both so struck by it. It was just one...we were just like, God, this is...this is unbelievable.” (David, 10:57)

• The hosts connect the film thematically to other British social realism classics, particularly Ken Loach's Kes, but point out Ratcatcher’s unique blend of realism and magical realism.

4. Debunking Ramsay’s “Bleakness”

• They challenge the perception that Ramsay’s films are mere “bleak week” cinema, advocating instead for their layered emotionality and humane outlook.

  “I do think Lynne Ramsey movies are all deeply trying to engage with what it feels like to be a person. That is the number one thing they are all really digging into.” (Griffin, 14:45)

• Ben’s “ice cream hack”: Have a pint handy when watching Ramsay’s films (16:36–17:04).

5. Background on Lynne Ramsay & Glasgow

• David delivers a thorough biographical sketch of Ramsay, her upbringing in Glasgow, family background, formative influences (including The Wizard of Oz and Douglas Sirk), and her non-traditional route to filmmaking (31:02–38:18).
• Discussion of the specific setting of Ratcatcher during Glasgow's 1975 garbage strike; the authenticity of location and actors (almost all non-professionals), and the importance of local detail in Ramsay’s work.

6. Visual & Narrative Style

• Ramsay’s fusion of realism and magical realism—evident in poetic visuals such as the famous mouse-on-balloon scene.

  “Is this a gritty slice of life movie about a working class kid in Glasgow? Yes, it is. Does it also have little touches of magical realism and sort of beauty fantasy? Right, right. Like sort of Malikian, you know, landscapes. Yes, it does.” (David, 15:18)

• Griffin highlights Ramsay’s focus on “the emotional experiences of going through kind of unspeakable experience.” (06:57)

7. Plot & Core Themes of Ratcatcher

• Detailed breakdown of the movie's premise: 12-year-old James, his guilt after another boy drowns, the stifling world of 1970s Glasgow, the struggle with poverty, masculinity, and cycles of violence and neglect.
• Griffin evokes the lived sense of vulnerability and precarity for children in that world:

  “There is just this huge vulnerability here. Yeah. Anyone could kind of drown in the water at any time.” (52:01)

• Discussion of how Ramsay avoids melodrama or thriller conventions even with potentially “hooky” material, sticking to emotional authenticity instead (53:29–55:22).

8. Ambiguity of the Ending

• The hosts debate the film's ambiguous ending, whether it tilts toward hope or tragedy:

  “I think it’s real. I mean, you could interpret it as a weird kind of fantasy or dream, but I don’t think so...Maybe I’m wrong.” (David, 54:19) “I think so, but I think you could read it either way.” (Griffin, 54:37)

9. Ramsay’s Broader Influence

• Ratcatcher’s critical legacy, including influence on Barry Jenkins (Moonlight), and Ramsay’s unique way of depicting “the inner life” on screen (98:30–114:08).
• David shares a direct quote from Ramsay rejecting pure homage and copycatting:

  “I wish I’d never mentioned Bresson. I’m not trying to make an homage or a pastiche like all those Tarantino copycats, those film boys who are just making wank musette.” (114:08)

10. Tangents and Notable Comic Moments

• Extensive, often hilarious digressions on parenting, British ice cream (Ben & Jerry’s Chunky Monkey, etc.), the hierarchy of SNL movies, Ben Kingsley & Jude Law’s “naughty trouble,” Oscars showdowns, Patrick Stewart’s many on-screen deaths, and much more.
• Griffin’s recurring bit: comparing topics to Oscar-winning films, superhero franchises, and pressing pop culture (e.g., imagining “Ratcatcher” in the Avengers).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “She makes films about the things that we don’t know how to talk about or even think about...they are all based in kind of like unspeakable realities of human life...”
  — Griffin Newman (06:26)

• “These movies are not, in my opinion, punishing. They are difficult and they are challenging.”
  — David Sims (06:11)

• “You go out in the world after watching this film and it’s, you’re reminded you’re alive, you’re human. It puts you in touch with that…”
  — Ben Hos (14:33)

• “Is this a gritty slice of life movie about a working class kid in Glasgow?...Does it also have little touches of magical realism and sort of beauty fantasy?...Yes, it does.”
  — David Sims (15:18)

• “All three of us are different strains of scentsy boy at our core. And I think a thing this movie captures incredibly well is that moment of ‘Am I going to let the pressures of a kind of imposed cultural sense of masculinity change me permanently?’”
  — Griffin Newman (27:43)

• “I wish I’d never mentioned Bresson. I’m not trying to make an homage or a pastiche like all those Tarantino copycats, those film boys who are just making wank musette.”
  — Lynne Ramsay (read by David Sims, 114:08)

Important Timestamps

• 00:44: Start of Lynne Ramsay miniseries announcement
• 05:50–06:14: Distinction between "challenging" and "punishing" films
• 13:06–14:30: On watching Ratcatcher during a tough week; the film’s emotional effect
• 15:18–15:34: Magic realism in Ratcatcher
• 31:02–38:18: Ramsay’s background and artistic influences
• 40:04–44:01: Making Ratcatcher – casting, crew, locations
• 45:27–46:29: The “innocence” of the bathtub scene; visual sensibility
• 51:01–53:58: Handling trauma without melodrama or crime-plot conventions
• 54:19–54:41: Ambiguity of the ending
• 98:30–99:16: Ratcatcher’s influence on Barry Jenkins and Moonlight
• 114:05–114:21: Ramsay’s quoted philosophy on cinematic influence

Conclusion & Look Ahead

The hosts agree Ratcatcher is an extraordinary debut and set high expectations for the rest of Ramsay’s filmography. They tease next week’s episode on Morvern Callar (with guest Emily Yoshida) and encourage both skeptical and new viewers to engage with Ramsay’s cinema.

Listen If...

• You want a warm, thoughtful yet funny primer on Lynne Ramsay’s debut film and career
• You’re curious about how serious, “bleak” films can be cathartic and vital
• You love film talk that mixes movie lore, personal stories, and full-tilt tangents

Next Time...

Morvern Callar with special guest Emily Yoshida. (Hosts remain obsessed with ice cream.)