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Bookmark this pageSon of Rambow (2007)
Director: Garth Jennings
Movie review
From Time Out London
Garth Jennings’s last film, ‘The Hitch-hiker’s Guide to the Galaxy’, had visual imagination to burn, but was less sure-footed when it came to plot and character. It’s a pleasure, then, to find that his follow-up shows just as much wit and verve in its production design, while also succeeding as storytelling: ‘Son of Rambow’ is a schoolboy yarn with a bracing emotional honestythat packs a real kick.
Jennings takes us to the early ’80s Home Counties suburbia of his youth for the story of two mismatched pre-teens. Will (Bill Milner) is the sheltered son of a strict religious family, whose father has died in the Falklands and has never even watched TV; Lee (Will Poulter) is the tougher wide-boy, a latchkey kid who bullies and then befriends Will as they embark on a homemade VHS opus, after seeing a pirate copy of ‘First Blood’.
Meanwhile, a group of French exchange students descend on the school, including one particular guy who constitutes a New Wave all of his own. Will is a keen doodler, and his sketches burst out across the countryside in playful CGI, but there’s also great entertainment in the boys’ lo-tech Heath-Robinson production plans.
Backyard remakes are very much of the moment – think Michel Gondry’s ‘Be Kind Rewind’ – but ‘Son of Rambow’ integrates its slapstick genre pastiche into a thoughtful story about peer pressure, neglect and yearning. Both Milner and Poulter are terrific; their performances, along with a keen eye for the indignities of the playground, help keep things the right side of sentimentality.
Author: Ben Walters
Time Out London Issue 1963 – April 3 – 9
User reviews of this film
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- Alfed Adyei Ameyaw said...
- Posted on Jan 10 2012 12:40 the movie is intrested by the ending wasn't good there should be more about what happened to the france kid in his country and his shouldn't be bullied any more
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- Bethan said...
- Posted on Feb 05 2011 14:47 Absolutely BRILLIANT!!!!
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- Carr said...
- Posted on Mar 21 2010 08:42 I wanted to like this film but it really loses its way and all credibility half way through and descends into lameness. Such a shame to see hard work wasted.
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- Laurie said...
- Posted on Mar 14 2010 23:23 I thought it was brilliant! Will Poulter was hilarious! I laughed so hard throughout the entire thing!
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- Nikki said...
- Posted on Dec 01 2009 09:14 A really great film, made me laugh countless times, especially the french kid. I dont understand why some of the comments here are being stupid by writing, "didnt make me laugh", you have to understand that this wasn't just comdey, but drama as well....and I enjoyed!!
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- Chris said...
- Posted on Nov 07 2009 13:05 This film is the funniest I've seen in a long time. It isn't obvious, in your face pie-in-face comedy - it's much more genuine and funnier as a result. The French kid in particular made me crease. Go watch this film.
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- Adam said...
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Posted on Jun 29 2009 14:30
Film was great! But ateeq ali...
Ateeq Ali is a .................. - Report as inappropriate
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- Karan Dhimar said...
- Posted on Jun 29 2009 14:29 That was some brappage
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- Joe said...
- Posted on Jun 29 2009 14:29 RACISM.
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- Adam said...
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Posted on Jun 29 2009 14:28
Tank trouble Or Boxhead?
Hard choice! - Report as inappropriate
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- ATEEQ ALI said...
- Posted on Jun 29 2009 14:27 JOE IS GETTING MIXED UP IT WERNT THAT GOOD
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- Joe said...
- Posted on Jun 29 2009 14:24 Great film, made me laugh loads. =0
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- bob said...
- Posted on Jun 01 2009 16:21 boring boring boring, this is an absulute discrace of a film that is so boring, pointless and frustrating. i absolutly loathed it and for me it has to be 'the worst film of all time'
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- Monikka said...
- Posted on Mar 29 2009 07:53 I loved it. Its a good change from the stupid mall cop movie my friends dragged me to.
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- Nikki Murphy said...
- Posted on Aug 26 2008 22:45 Rubbish. Didn't laugh once. Kids frightened to death after almost watching a child drown in oil. So much for comedy!
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Cast & crew
Director: Garth Jennings
Cast: Bill Milner, Will Poulter, Jules Sitruk, Jessica Stevenson, Zofia Brooks, Neil Dudgeon, Tallulah Evans, Adam Godley, Jessica Hynes full cast
Genre(s): Comedy
Rated: 12A
Duration: 95 mins
UK Release: Apr 4 2008
US Release: Apr 4 2008
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