In the 1980s, two fatherless boys, one a relentless troublemaker who pirates movies, and the other an artistic basketcase who’s been repressed by a harsh Christian denomination, become friends, against all odds, and decide to make their own epic action film, about a boy rescuing his father from an evil scarecrow. Son of Rambow is extraordinarily imaginative, yet the story is simple enough. The main character, Will Proudfoot keeps a flipbook diary, with a number of cute animations and illustrations which come together throughout the film. Will’s imagination comes to life in the form of animation blended into the scenes of the movie, which I found very effective – it puts the audience into the inventive state of mind Will is experiencing, and should feel familiar to all creative people who’ve ever been a messed-up kid. I certainly have.
The performances of the main two children, (Will and Lee), are excellent. These children are extraordinarily talented, and they exhibited none of the awkwardness you usually get from child performers.
This is one of those movies that’ll make you laugh and cry, all while making a few jabs at organized religion. 4 Stars
