Ratboy

"Ratboy" is not a good movie by any means. The freakish protagonist (despite the movie´s theme song) lacks personality. In fact, he´s disgusting in every way. The script is incredibly lame without being funny. As can be expected of a Sondra Locke movie, it is just as bland as her cutesy modern cowboy farces with Clint Eastwood. The plot is all over the place. In spite of all these flaws, though, the film is so unique that it´s fascinating. It pretty much gives the message that monsters do not necessarily have to have a hidden beauty and are best left alone. The plot concerns a reporter named Nicky (Locke) finding a rat-human hybrid named Eugene and adopting him while seeing him as nothing more than a news story that would dramatically improve her career. Her human associates don´t treat him much better. In spite of this, Eugene falls in love with Nicky (which is never particularly sad or funny). She does not love him back but is torn between exploiting him and feeling sorry for him. There are some crime related subplots too and Christopher Hewitt from "Mr. Belvedere" makes some appearances playing (surprise) a snooty British guy. This plot keeps the viewer interested if nothing else but only because it is so weird that anyone would wonder what will happen next. Basically, what´s great about the movie is that people with good sense would never have made it but Locke and company went ahead and made it anyway ! Therefore, "Ratboy" is every bit as punk as the Sex Pistols´ first album. Its audacity is remarkable.

If you didn't get a sudden urge to kill Ratboy or any of the other characters in this movie, you were the lucky one who fell asleep! The amount of cameo appearances by some well-known actors was astonishing. Did they NOT receive the script before hand? Do they have no conscience? I do believe the writers had good intentions to make this movie heart-warming. I'm sure the director (Sondra Locke) had a pure dream to turn this story into a storybook fantasy about a loving and sensitive boy who just happened to be a rat (?!). Let me tell you, there are only two good things this movie has to offer; Robert Townsend and Ratboy's cool makeup job. Well, actually the makeup job sucked as well! I give it a resounding thumbs down!!

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!

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

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.