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Son of Rambow

Play trailer Poster for Son of Rambow PG-13 2008 1h 35m Comedy Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
73% Tomatometer 120 Reviews 79% Popcornmeter 50,000+ Ratings
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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Son of Rambow

Son of Rambow

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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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Critics Reviews

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Deborah Ross The Spectator 01/30/2018
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. Go to Full Review
David Stratton The Australian 09/12/2008
2.5/5
It's a fun idea, but quite awkwardly staged and, in the end, not particularly engaging. Go to Full Review
Sandra Hall Sydney Morning Herald 09/05/2008
3/5
The script is not so much written as assembled, anecdote by anecdote. As a result, you never quite settle in. Go to Full Review
Charlotte Harrison Charlotte Sometimes Goes to the Movies 09/19/2022
One of the most delightful things you could ever possibly show your eyeballs. Go to Full Review
Jason Best Movie Talk 12/17/2020
The film goes beyond comic pratfalls to deliver a convincing portrayal of childhood imagination and the shifting power relations of teenage friendships. Go to Full Review
Felicia Feaster Charleston City Paper 01/28/2020
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. Go to Full Review
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Audience Reviews

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M A Nov 25 This was recommended when I looked up films like Taika Waititi films, and it hit spot on in that sense. It hits nostalgic notes of childhood and the eighties like Stranger Things, but more subtlety and softly. It was laugh out loud funny, a story mostly about friendship and the tenuous position a lot of kids find themselves in, with no control of, in childhood. I liked the acting, the characters and how it went a little too far in it's recollection of the eighties. Saw it in a mixed crowd, from 5 years old to teens to middle aged, and it was a hit. If you are looking for a Pixar clean, straight movie arc and narration it may not be your movie. It tells the story how it wants to, meanders a bit, but again, was hilarious and charming all the way through. See more Jerod S Aug 2 Rambo was the inspiration of this coming of age flick - but i didn't get it. See more Stephen C @bob25009 Jul 13 1 hour and 35 minutes of pure parody of Rambo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Rated PG-13 for Some Violence and Reckless Behavior!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The USA grossed over $1,800,000.00!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! See more Les N Apr 29 Kept me wanting to know what would happen. That's what filmmakers want? See more Faiz D 08/29/2024 A charming British indie film. See more 08/06/2020 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. See more Read all reviews
Son of Rambow

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Movie Info

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
Producer
Nick Goldsmith
Screenwriter
Garth Jennings
Distributor
Paramount Pictures
Production Co
Arte France Cinema, Hammer and Tongs
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
Runtime
1h 35m
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