Son of Rambow (2007)

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

Director:

Garth Jennings

Writer:

Garth Jennings

Stars:

Bill Milner, Jessica Hynes, Anna Wing

3 wins & 7 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
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

Storyline

SON OF RAMBOW is the name of the home movie made by two little boys with a big video camera and even bigger ambitions. Set on a long English summer in the early 80's, SON OF RAMBOW is a comedy about friendship, faith and the tough business of growing up. We see the story through the eyes of Will, the eldest son of a fatherless Plymouth Brethren family. The Brethren regard themselves as God's 'chosen ones' and their strict moral code means that Will has never been allowed to mix with the other 'worldlies,' listen to music or watch TV, until he finds himself caught up in the extraordinary world of Lee Carter, the school terror and maker of bizarre home movies. Carter exposes Will to a pirate copy of Rambo: First Blood and from that moment Will's mind is blown wide open and he's easily convinced to be the stuntman in Lee Carters' diabolical home movie. Will's imaginative little brain is not only given chance to flourish in the world of film making, but is also very handy when it comes to...

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Plot Keywords:

friendship | school | 1980s | stuntman | french | 

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Taglines:

Make Believe. Not War.

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Genres:

Action | Adventure | Comedy | Drama | Family

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for some violence and reckless behavior

Details

Official Sites:

Official site Official site [jp]

Country:

France UK Germany

Language:

English French

Release Date:

4 April 2008 (UK)

Also Known As:

Der Sohn von Rambow

Filming Locations:

Ashlyns School, Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire, England, UK

Box Office

Budget:

£4,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$53,789 (USA) (2 May 2008)

Gross:

$1,784,769 (USA) (8 August 2008)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Hammer & Tongs, Celluloid Dreams, Good Film Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

96 min

Sound Mix:

SDDS DTS Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

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.

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Goofs

When Didier Revol demonstrates his acting to Will Proudfoot in the church, a cigarette is in Didier's left hand. When he "shoots" himself in the head and falls to the ground, the cigarette vanishes. The smoke is in the foreground in one shot, but Didier never put it down.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Brethren Leader: Brother William, would you like to read today?
Will: [apprehensively carries Bible into middle of the street and reads] "O God, our Heavenly Father, who has commanded us to love one another as thy children."

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Crazy Credits

Mack is listed last among the "Special Thanks To" names and refers to a dog mentioned at 94:45 on the DVD commentary.

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Connections

Referenced in The Making of 'Son of Rambow' (2008)

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Soundtracks

"I Can't Wait"
Performed by Nu Shooz
Licensed courtesy of Rhino UK
Written by John Robert Smith
Published by Poolside Music
Courtesy of High Fashion Music - Beat that Music Limited (IMG), UK

User Reviews

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.