Son Of Rambow is an English film set in the 1980s.  It centres on two young boys who come from very different families.

Will Proudfoot (Milner) has been raised solely by his mother.  They’re part of the Plymouth Brethren and their religion prohibits them enjoying “evil” influences such as movies, music and television.  His unusual upbringing has made Will an outsider at school.  There’s a scene early in the film where Will’s classmates watch a documentary as part of their studies.  Will is forced to sit outside in the corridor in accordance with his mother’s wishes.

Lee Carter (Poulter) has two parents but they never seem to be around.  They’re off travelling the world.  His older brother (Westwick) is supposed to take care of him but he’s more of a bully than a brother.  Lee takes out his frustrations at school by bossing other kids around.  He’s definitely a troublemaker.

Somehow, Will and Lee become friends.  They may sound different but they each have a creative vision.  Lee wants to make short film.  He loves movies and hopes to win a prize by entering it in a competition.  He has “borrowed” a camera from his brother and is looking to start shooting.  Will brings imagination to the project.  He has a sketch book filled with cool drawings and has plenty of ideas when it comes to scripts, stunts and costumes.  Inspired by Sylvester Stallone, their film will be called “Son Of Rambow”.

It doesn’t take long for others at the school to learn about the movie.  Soon, our budding filmmakers find themselves inundated with people looking for a role.  It’s great to have the help but at the same time, the project looks to be slipping off the rails.  Will and Lee start arguing over “creative differences”.  The fate of both their movie and their friendship is in doubt.

Son of Rambow was the 3^rd most popular film at the recent Brisbane International Film Festival and it’s not hard to see why.  Stars Will Poulter and Bill Milner are terrific.  They have an innocence and charm that will put a smile on your face.  It's a little too sweet at times but the youthful exuberance of the cast combined with the light-hearted screenplay make this a fun movie.