Prismark10 Screen Test was a BBC children's quiz that included a segment where young viewers sent in home made films and the best one in each series received a prize. Only once did the producers think that the short film clip was so good that the young filmmaker could not possibly have made it and investigated the matter further. However they were satisfied and future Oscar winner Jan Pinkava received his prize and this moment is shown in Son of Rambow.In fact the pursuit to make a short film in order for it to be entered to be shown in Screen Test is central to the plot of this film as two mismatched school kids come together to make a film. Will Poulter is a rebel, a scoundrel and a disruptive influence at school who borrows his brother's camera and shoots his film on the side. Bill Milner is from a very religious family, not even allowed to watch television at school and hooks up with Poulter who persuades him to act as a stuntman in his movie and becomes enchanted with the movie process that fires his imagination especially as he watches a pirate version of First Blood.There is a side plot of visiting students from France who hook up with the young movie moguls which in turn causes conflict between the two lads who have become blood brothers.The film is inspired by young kids making home movies in the 1980s and not all of them were for Screen Test. The team behind Son of Rambow clearly remember some young kids (as do I) making their own version of Indiana Jones in their backyard which was shown in Barry Norman's film review show.It is feel good film not solely aimed at kids as it also bleeds nostalgia for the 1980s. However although the films reflect the fact that the film might be set in the early 1980s, the fashion, clothes and music indicate a more mid to late 1980s settings.

shieldspt An endearing, feel-good (unless you're Plymouth Brethren!), 1980's nostalgia fest. A bit of a cross between "Kes" & "Gregory's Girl". If you haven't watched either of those 2 films - or if you have watched them and didn't like them - then I doubt whether this film will do much for you.If you can't relate to being in awe of a 'cool' French exchange student; or the thrill of being allowed in the hallowed ground of a 6th form common room; or dancing to The Cure, Duran Duran & Gary Numan, then you're unlikely to feel much of a connection with the characters in this film. It has so many uniquely 1980's British cultural references I suspect a lot of overseas audiences will be left just scratching their heads.I also don't understand why they had to have so much bad language & blasphemy in it otherwise it would have been a really good family film. Why do British film producers do that? :o(

terrellrobinson71 Despite the brief images of violence, a couple of children smoking, and some children using profanity, "Son of Rambow", written and directed by music-video-director-turned-movie- director Garth Jennings, of "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" is a funny, sweet and rather peculiar family fantasy for the filmmaker in you. Set in 1980's England when the first Rambo flick, "First Blood" became big in theaters, the movie follows bully Lee Carter (Will Poulter) and artistic Plymouth Brethren Will Proudfoot (Bill Milner). These two are not good friends to begin with, but Lee uses Will to be a part of his new movie he's making inspired by "First Blood" (Actually, it's Will's idea, after seeing the movie) for his participation on the vintage BBC show "Screen Test". Turns out, everyone wants to be a part of the movie, including French New- Wave kid, Didier (Jules Sitruk) and even Lee's brother, Lawrence (Gossip Girl's Ed Westwick). While the film is in progress and their friendship is being tested, they realize that the near-fatal consequences wouldn't keep them apart from their friendship. This is a rather amazing film that really got me interested with a talented young and old cast. Poulter and Milner creates a realistic and fun chemistry as the two friends. Other supporting players including Jessica Stevenson as Will's mother, Asa Butterfield from "The Boy in the Striped Pajamas" as a Plymouth Brethren child and scenes involving Sylvester Stallone in "First Blood". I hope this film will entertain the entire family and I bless Jennings for inspiring himself to make a film about the kid in all of us. This is an enjoyable film.

Azlan Lewis This film is fun to watch and enjoy it is how a shy sheltered boy ends up befriending the misfit outcast of a boy. At first the boy is a bully to the shy one.The shy boy belongs to a strict religious group that shuns all technology and is not allowed to watch television. This is how he meats the bully because his class is going to watch a television program, he has to go out in the hall to do some school work. The "bully" he meets is tossed into the hallway because he's being disruptive.It is fun to watch their antics as they become friends and help each other to make this movie to enter a contest, which they never enter.