Son of Rambow
Son of Rambow Image
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Metascore
66 out of 100

Generally favorable reviews - based on 29 Critics What's this?

User Score
7.8 out of 10

Generally favorable reviews- based on 23 Ratings

Your Score
0 out of 10
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  • Starring: Bill Milner
  • Summary: Son of Rambow is a hilariously fresh and visually inventive take on friendship, family, film heroes, and the death-defying adventures of growing up in the video age. The story takes place in 1980s Britain, where young Will Proudfoot is raised in isolation among The Brethren, a puritanical religious sect in which music and TV are strictly forbidden. When Will encounters his first movie, a pirated copy of Rambo: First Blood, his imagination is blown wide open. Now, Will sets out to join forces with the seemingly diabolical school bully, Lee Carter, to make their own action epic, devising wildly creative, on-the-fly stunts, not to mention equally elaborate schemes for creating a movie of total commitment and nonstop thrills while hiding out from The Brethren. When school popularity finally descends on Will and Lee in the form of, oui, the supercool French exchange student, Didier Revol, their remarkable new friendship and precious film are pushed, quite literally, to the breaking point. (Paramount Classics/Vantage)… Expand

Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 21 out of 29
  2. Mixed: 7 out of 29
  3. Negative: 1 out of 29
  1. Seattle Post-Intelligencer
    Reviewed by: Sean Axmaker
    91
    Perhaps the most ingeniously imaginative element in Son of Rambow, a film exploding with imagination (some of it scrawled directly over the film in animated expressions of Will's private world), is its very conceit.
  2. Film Threat
    Reviewed by: Jamie Tipps
    80
    This year’s diamond in the rough, a small movie that is big in heart and promises to be big at the box office.
  3. New York Daily News
    Reviewed by: Joe Neumaier
    60
    Luckily, Son of Rambow, a comedy that's part kid-buddy flick, part valentine to filmmaking - and full of heart - has both.
  4. San Francisco Chronicle
    Reviewed by: Mick LaSalle
    25
    If it happens to hit you right - that is, if you happen to catch its wavelength of tear-and-a-smile whimsicality - the movie will speak to you.

See all 29 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

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Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 9 out of 11
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 11
  3. Negative: 2 out of 11
  1. DanH.
    10
    Very funny. I was very surprised. It's one of the year's best.
  2. Clockwork_Satan
    8
    I loved ever single minute of this movie. It mostly avoids the traps of becoming overly sentimental or whimsical and delivers some brilliant belly laughs, the characters are very likeable and, most of all, it made me feel like a kid again.… Expand
  3. A_Northerner
    7
    Why did you watch it?
    I saw a few scenes from this film a while back on TV and found them light hearted and amusing so asked to borrow it on     DVD from a friend.


    Tell me about it.
    Son of Rambow tells the story of two young boys growing up in the 80's, William and Lee, who become firm friends while making a Rambo-inspired home movie full of self-performed stunts and childish violence. The boys are polar opposites at first, William's family belong to a strict and traditional religious brethren, so strict that William is not even allowed to watch TV for documentaries at school, while Lee is the school's worst behaved child. Despite their differences, the pair become friends by chance and both appreciate each others company, Lee's renegade behaviour gives William experiences outside of the brethren (perhaps none more so than watching Rambo: First Blood) while Lee finds a kindred spirit to overcome his loneliness at home.

    Should I watch it?
    Creating a film about a pair of schoolchildren's recreation of Rambo certainly scores points for originality. As I mentioned before, the light hearted and amusing in places and would be suitable for adults and children alike. The young actors Bill Milner and Will Poulter are excellent and are supported well by a small cast.
    The writers take inspiration from a range of films, not just Rambo, with the scarecrow in the field and French exchange student Didier coolly lighting his cigarette in church coming to mind. As a throwback to the 80's the film is excellent, catchphrases, clothes and music are all spot on. Just like J.J Abrams recent Super 8, hopefully Rambow will inspire a generation of young filmmakers.
    Son of Rambow is a quirky and original British comedy-drama, which suffers from being a little too sweet in places towards the end but more than makes up for it with great acting and humorous moments.    … Expand
  4. MannieF.
    2
    the movie is long and dull...and if it makes u laugh at some point, its because u r plain stupid

See all 11 User Reviews

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