Ragamuffin (2025): Review and Summary
“Ragamuffin” with a focus on a burgeoning queer girl raised in a southern motorcross world, creates the type of story that, with being based on its creator’s life, hopefully becomes a long term passion project.
Spoiler Alert: This summary and review contains spoilers.
Additionally, some images and text may include affiliate links, meaning we may earn a commission or receive products if you make a purchase.
“Ragamuffin” Film Details
Runtime: 14 Minutes
Release Date: January 30, 2025
Initially Available On/Via: Film Festival – Sundance
Advisory Film Rating: Not Rated
Genre(s): Drama, Young Adult, LGBT+
Director(s): Kaitlyn Mikayla
Writer(s): Kaitlyn Mikayla
Summary
In Lizella, Georgia, Ryan and her dad, Mike, run a small mobile motorbike store. From what it appears, from Mike’s former career to Ryan’s potential one, racing is their life, and in Mike’s mind, with Ryan being deaf, she has an edge since she can block out everything when racing. However, with Ryan starting to get crushes and not living up to how much her dad hypes her up, so comes the question of whether she’ll stick to it, burn out similarly to her dad, or if a level of animosity may bubble to the point of her leaving this life behind entirely?
Character Descriptions
Ryan (Eden Harper)
Born into the world of motocross, Ryan has an interest in the sport, but with slowly but surely becoming a teenager, possibly having queer feelings, and questioning if she is doing motocross because her dad did or she actually likes it, things are shifting for Ryan and her relationship with her dad.
Mike (Robert Hadlock)
While he hasn’t been an active racer in 20 years because of his back, Mike, or Mad Mike, is still very much part of the local scene, and between his legacy and his looks, he is still able to have some fun with the local women.
Review
Highlight(s)
- How Immensely Invested You Get Into Ryan’s Story [88/100]
- The Community Built Around Motorcross [84/100]
Overall
Our Rating (86/100): Positive (Worth Seeing) – Recommended
With appearing to be based on writer/director Kaitlyn Mikayla’s life, you can credit that to the lived in and engrossing feeling that “Ragamuffin” gives. What they present in this short doesn’t make you feel like a voyeur but a fly on the wall or a quiet kid who doesn’t bother anyone, so they don’t pay you any mind. Which allows this sense that whether Mike is partying or running his business, you’re there.
But, while Mike’s partying and lifestyle are interesting, and it is cute to see him raise Ryan, it is Ryan’s coming of age that can feel like watching your awkward little cousin grow up. For when Ryan isn’t racing, she is managing her dad’s store and while it is subtle, Ryan is developing feelings for girls. This makes the way some of the women dress, or how comfortable they are changing around Ryan to try out her dad’s wares, anxiety-inducing for her.
Now, I should note that the film jumps forward, so we don’t get to fully know what becomes of Ryan, but assuming this is fully based on Mikayla’s life, she does well. It isn’t clear what happened to her dad when she left, or maybe why she left, but hopefully, that can be expanded on.
Content Information
- Dialog: Cursing
- Violence: Not Applicable
- Sexual Content: Sexual Situations (Implied)
- Miscellaneous: Drinking, Smoking
What To Check Out Next
-
Egghead & Twinkie (2020) – Review/ Summary (with Spoilers)
Coming out isn’t always a delicate procedure, as shown in “Egghead & Twinkie.”
-
Full Month: Review and Summary
A trip home doesn’t always mean a safe nor happy place, but you learn to make the best of it for the silver lining of what family could be.
-
Hafekasi (2023) – Movie Review and Summary (with Spoilers)
A half-Tongan girl is being raised by her White mother, surrounded by her mother’s family, and finds herself enchanted by a pocket of her father’s culture in a local market.
-
Gameboy (2014) – Review/Summary (with Spoilers)
Four boys steal their school exam papers and make a business from selling the tests, but how will they deal with karma biting them in the ass?
-
Were You Gay In High School (2020) – Review/ Summary (with Spoilers)
“Were You Gay In High School” has the quality and appeal of something you’d think was released on Wong Fu’s YouTube channel due to its comedy and heart.
-
Snaggletooth (Short) – Summary, Review (with Spoilers)
Snaggletooth was the overall best short of the WTF series and the reason why we’re breaking out many of the top shorts from TFF 2019.
Check out our movies page for our latest movie reviews and recommendations.
External Links
Images used for editorial and commentary purposes. All rights remain with their respective copyright holders.
