Ratboy

When Clint Eastwood and Sondra Locke were still an item, Eastwood helped Locke make her directorial debut with this movie through his production company Malpaso. Though Eastwood has typically shown a good batting average when picking projects, this movie joins efforts like "Pink Cadillac" that have you thinking, "What were you thinking, Clint?"

Actually, much of the failure of "Ratboy" falls on Locke's shoulders. The first mistake she made was casting herself in the movie; Locke has never been a good actress, and this movie is no exception. As for her direction, the movie is a mess. Sometimes it's serious in tone, sometimes it's satirical, and sometimes its tone is downright farce. The movie never finds a consistent tone, so it's hard to get involved with what's happening.

It also doesn't help that the characters' actions are more often than not unbelievable, even when the movie tries to be serious. And while the title character can speak, there is surprisingly little effort to get into his head and learn what he's thinking or feeling.

In fairness to Locke, some of the mess was probably not her fault. The story, either through an inadequately written screenplay or (more likely) being hacked up in the editing room, has a number of moments where it's clear that certain plot details are blatantly missing. There are plot threads that seem to start in midstream, or are never resolved at all.

What all this results in is a real mess of a movie, and it's easy to see why Warner Brothers barely released it to theaters.

Ratboy is, quite simply, one of the finest motion pictures ever made. It certainly earns its status amongst cinema's greatest achievements. Like It's a Wonderful Life and Freaks, Ratboy was a critical and commercial failure during its time, but will no doubt one day receive the accolade and recognition it so richly deserves. Sandra Locke's portrayal of Ratboy's friend/mentor is nothing short of galvanizing. Cinematography, direction, writing, and sound are second to none. And the whole atmosphere of the film (along with one of the most empathetic, intriguing, and likable protagonists ever), is nothing short of remarkable. Ratboy is a film that must be seen!

Read the other comments about this "film" and you'll hear some attempts to treat it nicely; ie it was emotional, charismatic, etc. These people have no taste and are single-handedly keeping Jerry Bruckheimer (sic) in business. Ratboy is horrible. Horrible horrible. And, not even in a self-conscious manner, as if to poke fun of itself. People, i ask you to please go see this and start appreciating quality films again. "Ratboy the Pimp" is a moment worth remembering for the rest of your lives. It's so bad it hurts me in a special place. Horrible. In fact, it's so bad, that i need to invent a new word to describe it: Natoosh. A movie is "natoosh" when it extends the boundaries of bad film. When it redefines our core values of good and evil, well, that's natoosh. Ratboy is Natoosh to the extreme. I pray for humanity...

i like rats. i like boys. why wouldn't i like this film? i can't rank it as high as "return to oz" or "the neverending story" or any of the delightfully twisted cinematic acid-trips of my childhood, but it has its charm as a modern fairy-tale. one of few "family films" that actually doesn't make me want to wretch. not one of the worst movies ever made, but not one of the best either.

I can remember seeing Ratboy for the first time as a young lad on TV. I recently rented it and I found that it sucked big time. BUT, I give it props for being funny as hell! The scene when Ratboy picks out his medallion made out of glass still cracks me up. His pimp daddy style is too much for my tolerance! He is just too funny. In retrospect, I find some of Ratboy's qualities embedded in my personality, which is scary. I find myself running away from bright lights, and making whimpering noises such as he does. It's a crazy world out there. Rats, pimps, hookers, and butt-ugly actresses....it's amazing we're still here. -the ratboy