Sunny Dancer

by Rachel Willis

Ivy is pissed off. It might be hard to understand why at first. She’s been in remission from cancer for 10 months, so one might think she would be happy.

However, writer/director George Jaques isn’t interested in how you think a person should feel after surviving cancer. With Sunny Dancer, Jaques gives us something nuanced yet familiar as Ivy (Bella Ramsey) finds her way with a group of teens at summer camp.

Ivy’s disconnection from life is the reason why her parents (James Norton and Jessica Gunning, making the most of their limited screen time) want her to spend four weeks at “chemo camp.” And though she is reluctant to participate and surly with the other campers, Ivy soon realizes camp was exactly what she needed.

Despite the hardship Ivy and her fellow campers have faced, they’re still teenagers at heart. Anyone who has felt rebellious or snuck out at night or just spent time with people who know you like no one else can relate to Ivy’s story.

The highlight of the film is the cast of kids who surround Ivy. Each one, from Ivy’s first love, Jake (Daniel Quinn Toye), to her horny best friend, Ella (Ruby Stokes), are fun to follow as they run wild and bring Ivy back to life.

The problem with any film that introduces a large cast of characters is finding ways to flesh out each one. Though the kids are great, not all of them get much depth. And the writing doesn’t bring each character to life as much as it could, but this is Ivy’s story. The two people she most gravitates to are the ones who most come to life.

As Ivy, Ramsey is good, but Stokes steals the show. She dominates each scene. Ramsey is a fine choice to carry the film, but the best scenes feature Ella.

With such a strong, naturalistic film, the movie’s emotional climax feels manipulative. It’s hard not to be disappointed by it when the rest of the film is so lovely.