I have some wonderful memories of the 1980's and as a result looked forward to Son Of Rambow, a movie about two boys from different ends of the social spectrum bought together by the love of the movie First Blood (the first Rambo movie).
It is the gloriously hot summer of 1983 and Lee Carter ... Read review
From Garth Jennings the director of The Hitchhikers Guide To The Galaxy comes Son Of ... more
Rambow a comedy about friendship faith and the bizarre business of growing up! Will (Bill Milner) who isn't allowed to watch TV or go to the movies expresses hims...
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A long English summer in the early '80s and two boys are about to form an unlikely ... more
friendship. Will Proudfoot has been brought up in a strictly religious household, forbidden to watch TV or listen to music. But after Lee Carter, the school trouble-make...
A Long English Summer In The Early '80s And Two Boys Are About To Form An Unlikely ... more
Friendship. Will ProudfootHas Been Brought Up In A Strictly Religious Household, Forbidden To Watch TV Or Listen To Music. But AfterLee Carter, The School Trouble-Maker,...
Production Year: 2004 - Drama - Director: Nick Cassavetes - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over, 12 years and over - Starring: Rachel McAdams, Ryan Gosling, Gena Rowlands
Advantages: Great family movie Disadvantages: Not quite as funny as it thinks it is
...a result looked forward to Son Of Rambow, a movie about two boys from different ends of the social spectrum bought together by the love of the movie First Blood (the first Rambo movie).
It is the gloriously hot summer of 1983 and Lee Carter (Will Pouter) has been recording dodgy VHS copies of First Blood, for his brother to sell to his friends. Through a strange series of events he manages to trick Will (Bill Milner) into staring ... ...lives forever.
Son Of Rambow is the second movie by production company Hammer & Tongs, the collaboration of Garth Jennings and Nick Goldsmith, whose previous movie was The Hitchiker's Guide To The Galaxy. The duo first paired up on the music video of Blur's Coffee & TV, the music video featuring a living, breathing pint of milk. This movie lacks the budget afforded to the duo for Hitchiker's, put together for a fraction of the cost. ... more
I have some wonderful memories of the 1980's and as a result looked forward to Son Of Rambow, a movie about two boys from different ends of the social spectrum bought together by the love of the movie First Blood (the first Rambo movie).
It is the gloriously hot summer of 1983 and Lee Carter (Will Pouter) has been recording dodgy VHS copies of First Blood, for his brother to sell to his friends. Through a strange series of events he manages to trick Will (Bill Milner) into staring as stuntman in his movie for popular kids TV show Screen Test. Deception leads to friendship, as both boys go on a journey that will change their lives forever.
Son Of Rambow is the second movie by production company Hammer & Tongs, the collaboration of Garth Jennings and Nick Goldsmith, whose previous movie was The Hitchiker's Guide To The Galaxy. The duo first paired up on the music video of Blur's Coffee & TV, the music video featuring a living, breathing pint of milk. This movie lacks the budget afforded to the duo for Hitchiker's, put together for a fraction of the cost. Astoundingly having been filmed Jennings and Goldsmith took the revolutionary step of editing, sound mixing, and other post production work on their barge anchored on the banks of the river Thames, two men, hours of film, and a dog. While the facts are interesting, these low scale final editions do not affect the movies overall look, and if anything maybe even heighten that low tech perception we now have of the 80's.
A great thing about the movie is the amazing authenticity of the movie; the meticulous time and effort that went into making everything look so genuine. Shop's boast signs like "Open five full days a week" remember those days when nothing opened Sundays and shops closed half days on a Wednesday? There are mobile phones so big you need a weightlifter to carry and seldom work, Spacedust, guide dogs for the blind boxes, loud jumpers, televisions without remote controls, music you could actually dance to, and those strange quirky little religions that seemed oh so alien. To cement the 80's feel of the movie two acting legends popular of the time are thrown in Anna Wing and Eric Sykes.
What struck me most about the movie is the genuine feel of it, like any child growing up the movies main focus beyond making the movie is about the sense of needing to belong. And this is reflected by the arrival of Didier a French exchange student who arrives at Will and Lee Carter's school and immediately becomes a sort of Pied Piper of Hamlin style character who all the boys want to know, and the girls want to kiss. It's this spirit of acceptance, or want to be accepted that appealed most to me about the movie.
The movies two leads both making their first appearance in a movie act very well and are very natural in their responses, and its brave material for a youngster to tackle being that underneath all the macho aspects of the story there is this deep but very heterosexual love that exists between the two boys. There are lots of innocent scenes that a few years later could easily be misconstrued as something other than what they are, a prime example being when Will and Lee Carter decide to become blood brothers, they hold hands during this period for a seemingly long time, and seemingly in a rather adult manner reveal their true thoughts about life. Bill Milner who plays Will is particularly good as the younger more innocent of the two characters, separated from the normal world by his families' choice of religion, one that does not allow television and has strong views about exactly how life should be. Most of all I love the way his character continuously refers to his new found friend as Lee Carter, never just Lee or Carter. Don't get me wrong Will Pouter is an equally good actor as Lee, but he really is forced into a secondary role against the worldly naive Will.
There are times of great sadness in the movie, remember that time that you fell out with your first best friend? The movie is surrounded by that feeling of upset and forgiving. Again a factor that illustrates that very non sexual form of love between our two leads.
Although it's a comedy movie there are few laughs offered, although a flying dog attacking Adam & Joe's Adam Buxton did raise a big smile. Despite the fact that the comedy does not the nostalgia element and the drama portions really do work, so much so that no sooner had the movie ended than I wanted to watch it again, to experience all those little bits I had so obviously missed the first time.
There is a lot of good music that helps drive the movie forward Siouxsie And The Banshee's, Depeche Mode, and Joy Division leading the way, there is a great little dance routine to the Banshee's Jeepers Creepers and some wonderfully 80's accompanying film making and visuals.
Expect a revival of the word "Skill" a word that I found most annoying during the 80's but will undoubtedly appeal to our generations overly influenced terminology.
While there is some mild swearing, Son Of Rambow is specifically designed to allow the largest possible audience to watch and enjoy the movies magic. There is nothing in the movie that I would not allow my children to watch, and certainly would have no reservations about them watching it unguided by an adult.
Son Of Rambow is a beautifully made and touching story that will appeal mainly to the family audience, and certainly in those families that the parents were entering their teenage years during the 80's. I expect many households children will be bored to hear "I used to do that" or "I had one of those" for a dozen times during the movies duration, and even though the same children might deny it they are bound to love this movie, and possibly have dreams of making their own movie.
Son Of Rambow is still slowly touring the UK, it has a small release of 300 cinemas across the UK, although some chains are slowly taking up purchases of the film to fill the demand of its audiences. If your cinema did not screen Son Of Rambow, its recommended that you ask about it, you might well be the last person they need to make an informed purchasing decision. Should cinema viewing be impossible, the DVD is due out in October (a long release to allow the movie to make its way around the country).
Advantages: Wonderful performances from young stars, skilfully put-together, frequently amusing. Disadvantages: Sags in the middle, some under-developed strands.
...coming of age story. Although Son of Rambow doesn't always appear sure of what kind of movie it wants to be, it's a thoroughly charming, richly evocative effort whose humour for the most part finds its mark. Charting the course of an unlikely friendship over a English summer, the film is a faintly dark comedy that recalls Rob Reiner's Stand by Me. The creation of Garth Jennings and Nick Goldsmith (a.k.a. Hammer & Tongs, also responsible for 2004's ... ...the boys go about making Son of Rambow, a project that is at once tribute to the pair's favourite action film and an unwitting ode to lost father-figures. The mismatched duo are all too aware that the film needs to be kept secret - from the inevitable disdain of Will's family, from fellow schoolmates and from Lee's elder brother, owner of the precious camera. When the plans are unearthed, though, both film and friendship are placed in jeopardy. Visually ...
Puggers 23.09.2009
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Son Of Rambow
Advantages: A lovely, warm-hearted story of friendship with strong direction, writing and performances. Disadvantages: Some historical inaccuracies.
Young Will Proudfoot has been brought up in a strict, religious household where he is not allowed to watch television or films or listen to music. But school trouble-maker Lee Carter inadvertently introduces him to a pirated copy of "Rambo: First Blood", sparking Will's imagination. Lee convinces him to work as a stuntman for him on his homemade sequel to the movie. Armed with only their imaginations and a video camera Lee has 'borrowed' from his ... ...stunts. They come to the attention of French exchange student Didier, who wants to be the next Patrick Swayze. Together they set about making a masterpiece to enter into television's "Screen Test" competition, dodging teachers and family all the way. Writer director Garth Jennings made an assured (if not universally acclaimed) debut with "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy", so a coming-of-age story seems something of a departure for him. But he ...
afy9mab 28.10.2008
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Son Of Rambow
Advantages: Good story, good performances, both touching and funny in some parts/at times Disadvantages: Some may think the ending is a little unlikely(?)
...Will Proudfoot is the son of a strict religious family, who previously hadn't allowed him to be exposed to popular music or movies, until he stumbled upon a pirated copy of the movie Rambo: First Blood, which a fellow pupil at the school he goes to, had recorded. This sets his imagination off and he starts to write his own Rambo related story in his notebook and the two boys, William and Lee Carter, set out to film a home video called 'Son of Rambow' ... ...of entering it into a BBC Screentest competition, thinking they might win the top prize.
However, family and school get in the way and things don't all go to plan. Will they be able to get their movie made and what will people make of it? you'll have to watch the movie to find out, of course.
- Genre/Type of Movie -
This is a semi sentimental British comedy with some elements of drama and a cult feel to it.
- Thoughts & Opinions -
I thought ...
IzzyS 11.01.2009 (14.01.2009)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Son Of Rambow
Advantages: A very funny, enjoyable feel good movie Disadvantages: Will's religion should have been revealed earlier
Set over a summer in the early 80's, we meet young Will Proudfoot, the oldest child in a Plymouth Brethren family. As a result of his religion, Will is not allowed to watch TV or even mix properly with the other Kids at school. That is until one day he meets Lee Carter, the local school bully; who lets Will see a pirate copy of Rambo First Blood. From there we see Will and Lee's friendship evolve as Will helps him to make a home movie to enter into ... ...the way, most seriously Will's Plymouth Brethren religion. The film tells the story of the boy's friendship over that long summer. I'd seen the adverts for this at the cinema back in the early part of this year and while I'd been tempted, never seemed to get round to going. Since the film has now been released on DVD I decided to give it a go and see if it was as funny as it looked. The short answer is a resounding yes. It is a very good, very funny ...
Andy.mack 07.11.2009
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Son Of Rambow
Advantages: Feel good entertainment Disadvantages: Might not relate to some people
If you feel like all you watch are big budgeted 'hollywood blockbusters' then look no further this is what movie-making should all be about.
There are quite a few 'laugh-out-loud' moments, from the opening titles, to the touching ending. It is a really well written peiece! What I was worried about was them being able to engage me throughout--- but the writing was brilliant and with a perfectl pace that kept me engaged completely engaged. The movie ... ...in the Britian in the 1980's but dont worry I still managed to relate to the film brilliantly. I hope the two young leading actors go on to further success in the future they are both immediatly lovable. There is an innocent charm about the lead pairing, Carter added the comic relief and DIdier who I think was only there to make all you 80's lovers remember how dodgy some of those trends really were!
This movie as a whole, was sweet and well written ...
jonahea 03.08.2008 (05.08.2008)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Son Of Rambow
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Advantages: A solid film in terms of direction, writing and performances. Disadvantages: It lacks scope.
constantly changing his look to try to appeal to a teenage employee. The inhabitants of the nursing home are mainly in the loveably eccentric mould. And the sole mean old bat is dealt with in harsh but amusing fashion. The dialogue is perhaps a little clunky at times, but is generally warm and naturalistic. My favourite line is; ?I like badgers because they?re bad-tempered, they look good?you can make sporrans out of badgers??
?Son of Rambow? star Bill Milner returns as the morbid Edward, another introverted boy without any friends of his own age. But though he is appealing, he feels slightly miscast here because the anger and frustration of the character doesn?t seem to come naturally to him, much like his northern accent. However, he is very good at expressing Edward?s loneliness, so it just about evens out.
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Advantages: Not as bad as many say Disadvantages: Russell Brand is very bland
of those, I think it's very much a generational thing where as younger kids will love it (if allowed to watch it) because it's kind of funny and a bit saucy for the most part. The only big difference in the movie is technology, though in the originals movies the young girls had gadgets technologically advanced for the years the movies were actually made, that and of course Russell Brand.
For those that feel the need to blast this movie out of the water, go back and check the originals and prepare for a shock. On the whole it's not as bad as everyone says, but it's certainly not a classic of British cinema, it's a bit old hat. For my money I'd far recommend watching a movie like Son Of Rambow as an example of good British comedy, though those watching St Trinians with a fresh mind will possibly enjoy it.
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