Son of Rambow

PG-13

Released May 2, 2008

1 hr. 35 min.

Comedy

List

74%

121 Reviews

Tomatometer

80%

50,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

In 1980s England, schoolboys Will Proudfoot (Bill Milner) and Lee Carter (Will Poulter) meet by chance in a hallway. Though the boys are polar opposites, Lee asks Will to help him make a homemade action movie, inspired by Sylvester Stallone's hit, "Rambo: First Blood." Will, who lives in a strict religious environment, is only too happy to oblige his new friend.

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Critics Consensus

Undeniable heart and charming young leads save the film's nostalgic storyline from suffering at the hands predictability.

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HL S

I absolutely love this movie, and I felt compelled to leave a review after seeing so many critics call it uninteresting or disconnected or criticize the characters for lack of depth. Perhaps they can't relate, but for a creatively minded kid who grew up in an environment that, though less severe than, harkens back to Will's, this movie spoke to me and saw me in a way few other movies have. It's like a warm hug of a movie, and I'm always sad more people haven't seen it. The performances are compelling, the story is incredibly sweet, and the characters made me root for them in a way many major Hollywood blockbusters don't manage. Don't underestimate a movie for being "for kids". It hits in a way many others don't.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

05/18/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Son of Rambow is the story of a pair of young boys who see First Blood and are so inspired that they decide to make their own sequel to the film. The entire concept is hilarious, and watching these kids trying to create a good film is adorable. The funniest part of the entire movie is a montage where they show one boy putting his body on the line for the stunts. I also appreciated that they used whatever props they could find in order to make their vision become a reality, like you’d expect from kids their age. It was cool to see these very distinct characters forming a friendship. They both have completely different home lives, and come from wildly different backgrounds, but they find a way to bond despite all of that. There were even some powerful emotional moments in the movie that worked well for me, and had me close to tears. The ending, when we finally get to see the movie that they were able to cobble together with the footage they filmed, was extremely charming. I think where Son of Rambow fell a bit short for me, is that it introduces too many points of conflict. Let’s see, we have...Will’s religious beliefs, Lee’s family issues, the trouble with teachers in the school, the divide over the fact that more kids were enlisted to help, and other minor issues. It simply feels unfocused, and I felt like they didn’t have time to address it all. In fact, at the end there didn’t seem to be proper resolution on at least 2 or 3 of these issues, and I wanted to know more about what happened next. That doesn’t take away from how enjoyable the film is to watch, though. The child actors they hired were extremely good, which is such a challenge to find. Finally, I liked that this was a film set in the 1980s, but it never looked too much like the exaggerated “movie” version of the 80s. There is one character who dresses in cliched clothes of that era, but that’s part of the joke. Son of Rambow is an enjoyable film that I’d watch again any time. I only wish it had a bit more focus in the plot, because then it might be truly great.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

08/06/20

Full Review

Audience Member

Son of Ranbow, the movie's got a great plot. It's pretty much about these two lads from the same school, one of them being a Christian who's quite shy and the other being a school bully. These two come together and make a homemade Rambo movie with inspiration from Rambo: First Blood. It's actually pretty good and the emotions which this movie's got work very well and they're built up quite well when they happen throughout this movie. Overall, Son Of Ranbow is a really good movie. The movie's got a great plot, very good acting, brilliant dialogue and there's a lot of heart throughout this movie which is honestly built up very well.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

02/20/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Funny and heartwarming film about friendship and loss. It's underrated, and shows the beginning of so many young actors' careers.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/09/23

Full Review

Audience Member

This movie may be a little predictable and cheesy, but that doesn't mean that this movie isn't entertaining, funny and heart-felt.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

02/12/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Thoroughly enjoyable.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

01/23/23

Full Review

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Garth Jennings

Director

Bill Milner

Will Proudfoot

Will Poulter

Lee Carter

Jules Sitruk

Didier

Jessica Hynes

Nary Proudfoot

Neil Dudgeon

Joshua

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9%

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Norbit

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83%

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Kabluey

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Delta Farce

27%

44%

Drillbit Taylor

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14%

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Deborah Ross

The Spectator

True enough, it's make-believe, but to believe in make-believe, you do have to be firmly on board in some way. Otherwise, it's just nonsense.

Jan 30, 2018

Full Review

Hank Sartin

Time Out

Rated: 4/5

Nov 18, 2011

Full Review

Joshua Rothkopf

Time Out

Rated: 2/5

Nov 17, 2011

Full Review

Charlotte Harrison

Charlotte Sometimes Goes to the Movies

One of the most delightful things you could ever possibly show your eyeballs.

Sep 19, 2022

Full Review

Jason Best

Movie Talk

The film goes beyond comic pratfalls to deliver a convincing portrayal of childhood imagination and the shifting power relations of teenage friendships.

Dec 17, 2020

Full Review

Felicia Feaster

Charleston City Paper

Desperate for winsome, Jennings in the end just tries too hard, settling for cute when something more meaty is required in this story of two fatherless boys.

Jan 28, 2020

Full Review

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Synopsis

In 1980s England, schoolboys Will Proudfoot (Bill Milner) and Lee Carter (Will Poulter) meet by chance in a hallway. Though the boys are polar opposites, Lee asks Will to help him make a homemade action movie, inspired by Sylvester Stallone's hit, "Rambo: First Blood." Will, who lives in a strict religious environment, is only too happy to oblige his new friend.

Director: Garth Jennings
Executive Producer: Hengameh Panahi, Bristol Baughan, Benjamin Goldhirsh
Screenwriter: Garth Jennings
Distributor: Paramount Pictures
Production Co: Hammer and Tongs, Arte France Cinema
Rating: PG-13 (Some Violence|Reckless Behavior)
Genre: Comedy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): May 2, 2008, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Jun 15, 2011
Box Office (Gross USA): $1.8M

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