Ratboy (1986)

User Rating:

3.8/10   

Director:

Sondra Locke

Writer:

Rob Thompson (writer)

Release Date:

17 October 1986 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Mystery

Tagline:

it's so hard to be different...

Plot Keywords:

Exploitation | Mutant | Fart Scene | Independent Film

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Sondra Locke	...	Nikki Morrison
Robert Townsend	...	Manny
Christopher Hewett	...	Acting Coach
Larry Hankin	...	Robert Jewell
Sydney Lassick	...	Lee 'Dial-A-Prayer'
Gerrit Graham	...	Billy Morrison
Louie Anderson	...	Omer Morrison
Sharon Baird	...	Ratboy (as S. L. Baird)
Billie Bird	...	Psychic
John Witherspoon	...	Heavy
Charles Bartlett	...	Catullus Cop
Lee de Broux	...	Catullus Cop
Jeffrey Josephson	...	Catullus Cop
Peter Looney	...	Catullus Cop
Tiger Haynes	...	Derelict Ralph

Runtime:

104 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Iceland:12 | Australia:M | Finland:K-8 | UK:15 (original rating) | UK:PG (video rating) | USA:PG-13 | West Germany:12

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Malpaso Company, The

Goofs:

Continuity: During the drive through Hollywood, shots from the driver's side of the car show Hollywood Blvd., but shots from the passenger's side show Sunset Blvd.

It's Unique

First, let's get off our high horses and stop ragging the movie like it's infested with the plague. Okay? It's a movie, a unique movie, about exploitation. Okay, the main character is a rat ... or is it human? ... or whatever. The fact is that this movie teaches us to be more sensitive to those who are different, in this case, REALLY different, even if this movie stretches the message a bit far. I know that it's hard to empathize with character that's a rodent, but Ratboy is a LOVABLE rodent, so why not leave it at that? At the party in the movie, Ratboy seems perfectly in place, nobody was avoiding him (I presume he didn't have fleas), which proves that when we want to we can accept those who are different. One criticism of this movie is that Ratboy is so trusting and naive that perhaps it would have been better if the movie had been about, let's say, a gerbil or a rabbit, and not a rat. Also, the movie fails to address certain obvious questions, like where Ratboy came from and how he is able to talk, but such considerations would probably take this movie in a direction that would undermine the movie's essential charm. For "Ratboy" is a charming movie and Ms. Locke is perfect as the lady who is orchestrating everything. Even though Ratboy is exploited, nobody wants to hurt him and everyone actually likes him. It's a unique and unpretentious movie which, if accepted on its own terms, is watchable and will not disappoint. But if you watch this movie expecting to experience some kind of Shakespearean classic, then either you have been grossly misinformed or someone is trying to play a joke on you.