Polar-opposites have never been so compatible, particularly with Garth Jennings (The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, 2005) latest outing with Son of Rambow. Introducing two new comers Bill Milner (Will) and Will Poulter (Lee Carter) as two young school kids who find that even in the unlikely of places there can be a common interest.

It is in this movie of bonding, friendships and Sylvester Stallone that this English summer of 1982 has our heroes sweating their days film-making, fighting off religious beliefs', struggling against indifference and putting up with French patter and pose. With their social differences, one belonging to the Plymouth Brethren and the other a feral child. This wild child's dream is to win the BBC's Screen Test short movie competition, a U.K. children's television show about Film, with its fifteen year lifespan ending in 1984, and take note of who is presented with the winning prize toward the end, no other than a young real life Jan "Ratatouille" Pinkava himself.

An English movie at heart, and with French overtones, adding too, a little quality and that finer touch to the proceedings we are given the wonderful Eric Sykes O.B.E., C.B.E. who plays his part with comic professionalism. This is one comic caper of kids using imagination, wit and determination to pass their long summer days, breaking down barriers and building new paths to tread. Wonderful stuff and with great dialogue too from director Jennings; funny, heart warming and blissfully satisfying to watch. While not too deep with character development, with what we have, we are most entertained and at times moved. Moved by its simplicity, its richness in the dealings of connections and conflicts between all involved on screen, albeit young Will's overbearing religious values and loving mother, Lee Carters isolation from his never present parents and of course, la tour de force; the Son of Rambow: The home movie.

The Son of Rambow is more than the sum of its parts, its about that old aged fable shown in many kids films, but in a different light, great coming-of-age movies as Christina Ricci's Now and Then (1995), River Phoenix's Stand by Me (1986) to the magic of The Goonies (1985). Son of Rambow is amusing to the point of hilarity, touching to the point of sentimentality and rewarding like a good home movie should be; made well with imagination, wit and determination.

Greetings again from the darkness. The Sundance favorite is finally making the rounds and I found this to be a very entertaining and charming film, despite its relative simplicity.

A semi-autobiographical piece from writer/director Garth Jennings ("The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy"), the film focuses on the escapades of two young boys making a movie. Along the way, many topics are addressed ... family, religion, friendship, loyalty, idol-worship, etc.

Bill Milner (as Will Proudfoot) and Will Poulter (as Lee Carter) are the newcomers who play the boys. Poulter is a near reincarnation of River Phoenix as Chris Chambers ("Stand By Me") as he carries so much bottled up emotion stemming from his longing for attention. Milner's character is the more sensitive, creative type being suffocated by his family's religion. Quite a pair.

As a commentary on film and celebrity, the two boy's world is rocked when their film-making is discovered. Now everyone wants a piece including the French exchange student, Didier, played hysterically well by Jules Sitruk. Character issues to follow!

The boys are so endearing that most kids would enjoy the film and certainly most adults who were still growing up in the 80's will get a kick out of it.