SON OF RAMBOW

Available at Amazon for £11.98 I have never been much of a fan of Sylvester Stallone's Rambo flicks. They've always seemed too self serious and cartoony at the same time. It's like having a colonoscopy by a doctor wearing a clown outfit. Clearly I am in the minority. Not only have the films generated massive box office and several well-received sequels, but they have also inspired their own genre of gruesome revenge films, including the sci-fi leaning Predator. And now, it has inspired a touching a warm tribute in Garth Jennings' effervescent Son of Rambow. Young Will Proudfoot (Bill Milner) spends his boring days at school and church playfully doodling in his massive sketchbook. Part of a repressive Fundamentalist sect, Will has been denied keen Western necessities like television and movies. He is not allowed any friends from the worldly people around him. His life changes dramatically when he serendipitously meets schoolmate Lee Carter (Will Poulter), a classroom bully and troublemaker with a penchant for stealing and lying. Unbeknownst to anyone, Lee is secretly making a film in order to win the local television station's Young Filmmaker's contest. In one accidental moment, Will sees First Blood playing on a television set, and his life is altered forever. The unlikely friends set out to make a sequel to the film, filled with the imaginative stylings Will has concocted in his book. Very little of the film details the actual making of the film in the title. Instead, Jennings focuses his story around Will's desire for independence and his friendship with Lee. The film, set in the eighties, contains a heavy dose of that era's distinctive style and music, all of which creates an aura of nostalgia that Jennings obviously feels for the time period. While Jennings rightly keeps his camera on the two leads and their story, the film veers around with a fairly bizarre subplot involving a French foreign exchange student, who looks like he may have played keyboards for Flock Of Seagulls. Some of this extraneous information serves to give the film authenticity, some of it is a bit distracting. The two boys, both of whom have never been in a feature film before, are exceptional and wondrous finds for Jennings. Milner, gangly and hesitant, perfectly captures Will's fiery-yet-repressed spirit. Poulter, playing opposite, imbues Lee Carter with a surprising amount of loyalty and tenderness. Some critics have labeled this film the British Stand by Me; while it fails to reach such a height, that film's bond of friendship is realistically captured by these two remarkable performances. This film has been marketed as an independent film, which yet again blurs the line between what defines a major release and what is an independent. Clearly, this film cost a tremendous amount of money, far out of the range of traditional independent filmmakers. Classic songs play continually on the soundtrack, which alone probably cost a few million dollars. The CGI/animation and excellent production values also belie the indie reputation. Films like this one and Little Miss Sunshine bug me because they squeeze out the true independent films at film festivals, and do nothing but pad the accounts of movie studios eager to add street cred to their back catalogue. End of soapbox. The film has a gentle, mildly amusing spirit, even if the tone and story ar ea bit disjointed and jumbled. Watching it, I felt like it was a bit too long and a bit too cute, and could have used more of the childhood nastiness that surfaced here and there throughout. I also wanted to see more of the development and making of their little sequel, which would have invested me in the feel-good ending of the film. Despite the obvious flaws, Son of Rambow is a cute and occasionally insightful look at the power of imagination and dreams in childhood. EXTRAS There is a fun commentary track featuring Jennings, the boys, and the cast. They clearly had tons of fun making this together. Also included is a Making Of Special, which features a long interview with the two boys and Jennings. I was struck by the maturity of these remarkable two boys ... of course, British kids always seem smarter to Americans. OVERALL While not perfect, the film is absolutely worth watching, particularly if you love films like Stand by Me, the Rambo movies, or films about moviemaking like Be Kind Rewind. Also, those who grew up in the eighties will have much to chuckle over as well. Again, a pretty fun film.

rating: 3.5

For more Son of Rambow why not check out... Mike Edwards' review during it's theatrical release. Our exclusive interview Son of Rambow interviews PART I and PART II.