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Sundance Review: Son of Rambow

by Alex Billington
January 30, 2007

US Release Date: Sundance Film Fest 2007
Genre: Comedy
Running Time: 95 minutes
Directed by: Garth Jennings
on IMDb
8.5/10

Another film that ramped up its buzz at the festival after the first few screenings, Son of Rambow makes a triumphant debut and lasting impression. In Son of Rambow, young Will Proudfoot (Bill Milner) and his family a part of a religious group that keeps him out of the regular activities of normal life, including being unable to watch any television or any movies. When Will unexpectedly meets the school's rambunctious and most disliked "bad kid" Lee Carter (Will Poulter), he is forced into, under threat of being beat up, his snobby little world. After Lee Carter makes a bootleg of Rambo: First Blood that showed at the local cineplex, Will watches it and instantly becomes obsessed with mimicking Rambo. Throw in a classic culture clash of French exchange students at the school and Will and Lee Carter's secretive desire to film their own Rambo film to enter a television competition, and you've got the makings of one most exciting films at Sundance.

Son of Rambow

Son of Rambow is at the very base simply all about the love for movies that all starts and ends in the theater. It shows just how incredibly classic films can become and how great of an impact they can have. The performances are all great, from the young elementary school leads to the supporting cast. The best part is just the story itself and enjoy it as it plays out. It's uniquely independent and uniquely international. It would be impossible to find this same determination and entertainment from an American director. Every last scene and the film's rather extravagant and appropriately long plot are all positive facets that help define Son of Rambow and how truly entertaining it actually is. I could even compare it to Hook, and I can only hope that we'll be quoting and remembering it for as long as we've remember Hook as well. This is one of the few I'm very much looking forward to watching again.

Son of Rambow

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Related categories: Movie Reviews, Sundance 07

http://www.youtube.com/riverman72 Rodger

Just seen the film on 2nd week of UK release in cinema - 13th April 2008. Firstly congratulations to the Director and the team on making such a fabulous film and bringing back memories of the 80's, of which I was a child of too. I actually wonder why it's taken so long to hit the UK screens, since it was seen at Sundance in January 2007 - but apart from that the wait was worth it. I think the two young actors Will Pouter and Bill Milner are fantastic and play their parts with a genuine feel of what they are doing. I'm sure they were a joy to work with. Will also lives upto his current hype of being a very talented young actor. Nice to see Eric Sykes too, playing one of the patients in the care home. Was surprised to see the shock industrial accident scene, which I don't think was in the trailer and part of me was willing Lee Carter to make it out alive. Thinking back to the 80's, I was a lot like character Will Proudfoot, was a Christian as well, still am, but not a member of the Bretheren Community (I was Baptist and they were cool then too). Going along the storyline of kids making movies, there are a lot of talented young actors on Youtube (if you take away the dull non-funny mobile/cell phone stuff) and there is a lot of promise for the future. Thank you for the film and if it doesn't win more than 3 awards at Bafta's or Oscar's I would be very surprised. Rodger