Sylvester Stallone must be so proud. This may not be the actual baby boy of his haunted Vietnam war vet, but the 1982 film “First Blood” did serve as inspiration for writer-director Garth Jennings in making this feel good comedy. Set in Britain during the 1980s, the idiosyncrasies of the decade are presented through the eyes of a quiet young kid named Will Proudfoot. The boy’s journey from sheltered member of a religious sect that forbids popular entertainment like music and movies to an expressive, out-going independent filmmaker will leave you with a well-deserved smile on your face.
Will, his mother and younger sister live amongst a restrictive covenant, who don’t allow for much artistic expression. Will goes to a public school where he lives on the fringe, exiled from sharing many experiences with his classmates because of his beliefs. That is until he meets Lee Carter, a young troublemaker who’s about the same age and looking for a stuntman - and a friend. Once Will sees a bootleg copy of “First Blood”, he single-mindedly pursues the idea of making a sequel starring himself as the son of the one-man army. The production begins to balloon to include the community and schoolmates. Can Will continue to keep this secret from his family and will this unlikely friendship really last?
The child’s family life, his religious community and the mystery of what happened to his father are all intriguing pieces to the film but the real fun comes from the two kids putting together this high concept film on a shoe string budget. Their relationship has the simplicity of childhood friendships but how they gradually open up to each other gives the audience additional insight into both boys’ lives. The introduction of the French foreign exchange student is a unwelcome distraction to the primary story, creating a surreal air for an otherwise grounded tale. Despite a plot device that doesn’t quite work, “Son of Rambow” successfully expresses how the creation of cinema can be an emotionally cathartic journey for two troubled children.
Rated PG-13 for some violence and reckless behavior.
