"Oh yeah? You and what army?"

So last night, I saw the little indie film that could Son of Rambow. Now, I'm just gonna throw it out there and say this movie isn't the greatest thing. Don't get me wrong, it's a good movie; it's fun. But it's not Garden State. It's not Little Miss Sunshine, and it definitely isn't Me and You and Everyone We Know. Every summer produces that one little independent film that people seek out amidst the blockbuster, special F/X clutter. These little independent films are the ones with emotional resonance, with witty dialogue, or obscure scenes of humor. And of course, the film has a great soundtrack.

As a whole, Son of Rambow was quite entertaining, but I felt like it didn't really emotionally impact me except make me re-appreciate that awesome decade known as the 80s and increase my desire to make a movie this summer.


SPOILER ALERT: The film follows two young British boys Lee Carter and William as they aspire to make a sequel to the 80s hit Rambo: First Blood. Their version of the film follows the Son of Rambo as he tries to save his father from the evil scarecrow, flying dogs, and an army of ninja assassins. Sounds absurd, right? But it's really quite believable. It reminded me a little bit of Be Kind Rewind because the films are shot on old-school VHS, giving it a wholly amateur feel. I wish the film had dug just a little bit deeper into the personal and psychological motivations of the kids, or at least given a reason as to why they chose to focus on Rambo out of all the other sweet 80s films.

But you know what? Who the fuck cares really. The film's small moments really made this movie worth the $8.50. There are scenes that use subtle CGI to showcase William performing certain Rambo stunts such as getting launched into the air by a seesaw, being launched by a giant waterhose, or being thrown into an oil pit. There are even small lines of dialogue that just make you laugh out loud because it's so random.

Kid 1: I'm gonna beat the snot out of you!
Kid 2: Oh yeah? You and what army?!
Kid 1: Army? That doesn't even make sense.

William: I think we should separate.
Lee: (5 second pause) OK!!!!!

Those probably aren't the best quotes from the movie. I donno, I guess it's one of those you have to see it kind of things.

Probably the best scene of whole movie was, as my buddy Scott put it, the parody of the film industry, in which all the kids of the 80s are at the "Hollywood club" where they dance, get high on scratch-n-sniffs, and do some mad drugs like mix Pop Rocks and Soda. One kid even runs out and vomits--typical Hollywood clubgoer.

It's the small things that make this movie. On a synedochic level, Son of Rambow represents the small movies out there like our favorite indie darlings. Sure, Iron Man was fucking badass. So Spiderman 3, Pirates 3, and Shrek The Third made 100s of millions of dollars their opening weekends. But in all honesty, did you really LOVE those films? Were they good movies? Ok, Iron Man was amazing, but could you connect with his character? Did you learn something about yourself? Were you inspired by Tony Stark (besides wanting an iron man suit of your own to blow shit up?) Now think back to those random small movies you've seen. I remember the first time I watched Just Friends. I swear I have never laughed harder in my life. And you know what, I could totally relate to Chris Brander and his plight. How many guys out there have been stuck in the friend zone? It's the little things that make great movies. Small things go big ways. Maybe Son of Rambow's main point is to show that you don't need huge effects, star power, or a $100 million dollar budget to make a blockbuster. All you need is a camcorder, friends, and a passion to portray life on the silver screen.

The Small Things Playlist
1. All The Small Things by Blink 182
2. The Little Things by Good Charlotte
3. Little Room by The White Stripes
4. Little Boxes by Malvina Reynolds
5. Little Weapon by Lupe Fiasco
6. Littlest Things by Lily Allen
7. Tiny Dancer by Elton John
8. Small Stakes by Spoon
9. A Time To Be So Small by Interpol
10. Tiny Cities Made of Ashes by Modest Mouse