Son of Rambow (2007)

User Rating:

7.2/10   

Director:

Garth Jennings

Writer:

Garth Jennings (written by)

Release Date:

4 April 2008 (UK)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Family

Tagline:

Make Believe. Not War.

Plot:

During a long English summer in the early 1980s, two schoolboys from differing backgrounds set out to make a film inspired by First Blood (1982).

Plot Keywords:

Friendship | School | Video Camera | French | Copy

Awards:

2 wins & 7 nominations

Cast

Neil Dudgeon	...	Joshua
Bill Milner	...	Will Proudfoot
Jessica Hynes	...	Mary Proudfoot (as Jessica Stevenson)
Anna Wing	...	Grandma
Will Poulter	...	Lee Carter
Tallulah Evans	...	Jess Proudfoot
Emilie Chesnais	...	French Teacher (as Emile Chesnais)
Paul Ritter	...	Geography Teacher
Finola McMahon	...	Gail Graham
Rachel Mureatroyd	...	Marie Plante
Taylor Richardson	...	David Smart
Peter Robinson	...	Lucas Dupont
Charlie Thrift	...	Duncan Miller
Jules Sitruk	...	Didier Revol
Sam Kubrick-Finney	...	Danny

Also Known As:

Der Sohn von Rambow (Germany)
Le fils de Rambow (France)

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for some violence and reckless behavior.

Runtime:

96 min

Country:

France | UK | Germany

Language:

English | French

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

SDDS | DTS | Dolby Digital

Certification:

Canada:PG | Ireland:12A | Australia:PG | UK:12A | Finland:K-11 | USA:PG-13 (certificate #43681) | Sweden:7 | Netherlands:6 | New Zealand:PG | Switzerland:10 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:10 (canton of Vaud) | Portugal:M/12 | Argentina:13 | Singapore:PG | South Korea:12

Filming Locations:

Ashlyns School, Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire, England, UK

Company:

Hammer & Tongs

Trivia:

Several instances of CG modification during post production are pointed out in the DVD commentary. At 1:17, 86:49, and 90:23 in the theater, both the SMOKING and NO SMOKING signs were added. At 43:48 where Lee Carter pinches the Guide Dogs for the Blind statue, "OPEN 5 DAYS A WEEK" was added on the store marque. At 57:29 the sign "Sixth Form Common Room" was added. At 58:00 the clock in the school clock tower showed the wrong time for the scene, so it was changed.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: During a party at the school, they are playing Siouxsie And The Banshees' "Peek-A-Boo", which wasn't released until 1988. The film time line is 1983, five years earlier.

Quotes:

[last lines]
Lee Carter: This has been my best day of all time.

Movie Connections:

Features "Screen Test" (1970)

Soundtrack:

Peek a Boo

Almost Perfect

If you sometimes feel like all you watch are big-budget 'blockbuster' movies this is the film to remind you what movie-making should be.

Attended a preview screening this week, and can't wait for the weekend so I can go back and watch it again. The screening was packed, and the general reaction definitely agreed with my own.

There are several 'laugh-out-loud' moments, from the opening titles, to the touching climax, and at many points in between, in a well written, perfectly paced film. I am someone who goes to a lot of movies, and sometimes find myself checking my watch, but this draws you in from the start, and it never loses you.

Probably has most appeal for those , like myself, who were in the UK in the 80's but I'm sure it has appeal for all, and hope the two leads go on to further success in the future. There is an innocent charm about the lead pairing, and the movie as a whole, that should transcend national and cultural boundaries.