“Near-perfect” British comedy-drama with James Norton hailed as “a gem of a film”

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James Norton and Bella Ramsey’s new film, Sunny Dancer, has been highly praised after its debut at the Berlin Film Festival. The movie, a British comedy-drama, stars Norton and Ramsey—known for their roles in Happy Valley and The Last of Us—as a father and daughter. The story centers on a teenager who goes to summer camp after recovering from cancer.

George Jaques wrote and directed the film, which stars Neil Patrick Harris (known from How I Met Your Mother), Jessica Gunning, Ruby Stokes, Daniel Quinn-Toye, and even features singer James Blunt as himself.

The movie Sunny Dancer tells the story of Ivy, a 17-year-old cancer survivor who dreads the idea of being seen as a typical ‘Make-A-Wish’ patient.

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Ivy struggles to fit in when her parents send her to a summer camp designed for children battling cancer and its effects.

As the summer went on, she surprisingly made friends with a quirky and wonderful group of people at a special camp, creating a summer she would always remember.

Jacques explained that he wants the movie to be both hilarious and deeply moving, making viewers laugh and cry, and ultimately reconsider how young people facing hardship are perceived – not as helpless, but as strong, multifaceted individuals full of vitality.

FirstShowing.net praised Sunny Dancer as a nearly flawless summer camp comedy, calling it both funny and charmingly original.

Next Best Picture added that it was a “gem of a film that should be sought out by all”.

In a review, The Lamplight Review praised the film for portraying its characters as complex individuals, not just defined by their illnesses. The review highlighted that the characters are realistically flawed – funny, awkward, and sometimes make mistakes – simply because they are teenagers, not because of their health conditions.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the moments where the young actors—all rising stars—were given free rein to improvise provided a welcome dose of realism and prevented the film from becoming overly saccharine.

Sunny Dancer is yet to get a UK release date.

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2026-02-22 15:49