Ratboy (1986)

User Rating:

3.8/10   

Director:

Sondra Locke

Writer:

Rob Thompson (writer)

Release Date:

17 October 1986 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Mystery

Tagline:

it's so hard to be different...

Plot Keywords:

Mutant | Exploitation | Independent Film

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Sondra Locke	...	Nikki Morrison
Robert Townsend	...	Manny
Christopher Hewett	...	Acting Coach
Larry Hankin	...	Robert Jewell
Sydney Lassick	...	Lee 'Dial-A-Prayer'
Gerrit Graham	...	Billy Morrison
Louie Anderson	...	Omer Morrison
Sharon Baird	...	Ratboy (as S. L. Baird)
Billie Bird	...	Psychic
John Witherspoon	...	Heavy
Charles Bartlett	...	Catullus Cop
Lee de Broux	...	Catullus Cop
Jeffrey Josephson	...	Catullus Cop
Peter Looney	...	Catullus Cop
Tiger Haynes	...	Derelict Ralph

Runtime:

104 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Iceland:12 | Australia:M | Finland:K-8 | UK:15 (original rating) | UK:PG (video rating) | USA:PG-13 | West Germany:12

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Malpaso Company, The

Goofs:

Continuity: During the drive through Hollywood, shots from the driver's side of the car show Hollywood Blvd., but shots from the passenger's side show Sunset Blvd.

a masterpiece of bad taste

"Ratboy" is not a good movie by any means. The freakish protagonist (despite the movie´s theme song) lacks personality. In fact, he´s disgusting in every way. The script is incredibly lame without being funny. As can be expected of a Sondra Locke movie, it is just as bland as her cutesy modern cowboy farces with Clint Eastwood. The plot is all over the place. In spite of all these flaws, though, the film is so unique that it´s fascinating. It pretty much gives the message that monsters do not necessarily have to have a hidden beauty and are best left alone. The plot concerns a reporter named Nicky (Locke) finding a rat-human hybrid named Eugene and adopting him while seeing him as nothing more than a news story that would dramatically improve her career. Her human associates don´t treat him much better. In spite of this, Eugene falls in love with Nicky (which is never particularly sad or funny). She does not love him back but is torn between exploiting him and feeling sorry for him. There are some crime related subplots too and Christopher Hewitt from "Mr. Belvedere" makes some appearances playing (surprise) a snooty British guy. This plot keeps the viewer interested if nothing else but only because it is so weird that anyone would wonder what will happen next. Basically, what´s great about the movie is that people with good sense would never have made it but Locke and company went ahead and made it anyway ! Therefore, "Ratboy" is every bit as punk as the Sex Pistols´ first album. Its audacity is remarkable.