Son Of Rambow

This one caught me off guard. Where I was expecting more of a comedy, I got mostly a drama with sprinkled with comedy. Is that bad? No, not necessarily. Viewed apart from expectations, Son of Rambow was pretty good, but there were areas ripe for improvement. Will Poulter, playing demon child Lee Carter, is the highlight of the film, as is relationship with friend Will Proudfoot (Bill Milner). The relationship between the two boys is the most interesting part of the film, yet Son of Rambow doesn't squeeze all the potential out of them. Watching the two boys direct and act in their own short film, based on the Rambo film First Blood, was where the best comedic parts revealed themselves, but again, the script doesn't give these moments enough time to develop. Garth Jennings, who wrote and directed, started with a wonderful idea, but doesn't fully realize it. That is not to say Son of Rambow is no good, and if nothing the film is shot well, but it leaves you wanting more. It is a film worth watching in any case, if not to appreciate the mismatched pairing of Lee Carter and Will Proudfoot, who each need their views on life altered just a bit.

Genre - Comedy (2.75)

Screenplay (2)
Acting (3)
Production (3)
Directing (3)