Pirate Radio (The Boat That Rocked)

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Pirate Radio (The Boat That Rocked)

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Pirate Radio (The Boat That Ro...

Bill Nighy, Kenneth Branagh, Nick Frost, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Rhys Darby

"Pirate Radio" is the high-spirited story of how eight DJs' love affair with rock 'n' roll changed the world forever. In the 1960s, this group of rogue DJs, on a boat in the middle of the Northern Atl...( read more  read more... )antic, played rock records and broke the law all for the love of music. The songs they played united and defined an entire generation and drove the British government crazy. By playing rock 'n' roll they were standing up against the British government who did everything in their power to shut them down. The band of rebels is lead by The Count, Quentin the boss of Radio Rock, Gavin the greatest DJ in Britain, Midnight Mark, Doctor Dave and Young Carl who comes of age amidst the chaos of sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll. The film features an unbelievable selection of music including The Beatles, The Stones, Beach Boys, Dusty Springfield, The Who, Jimi Hendrix, Smokey Robinson, David Bowie, Otis Redding, Cat Stevens just to name a few. The film is laugh out loud funny and speaks to the rock 'n' roll rebel in all of us.

Id: 11015685

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Pirate Radio (The Boat That Rocked) Recent Reviews
  • smith44
    December 29, 2009
    smith44
    Funny but dissapointing. Story is all over the place. Bill Nighty is the standout.
  • Chiefilms
    November 27, 2009
    Chiefilms
    Great music and a good cast of odd Englishmen. The "rock'n'roll" is banned on radio concept is overblown and really insignificant in my opinion because rock music was alive and thriving not only in the UK but especially the US, the biggest market. Richard Curtis is a great writ...( read more)er and director but I think he got too much into this plot, trying to make these 8 DJ's seem revolutionary to the world. Truck that, what about Wolfman Jack Richard? What about Alan Freed Richard? Haha see now I'm sounding silly. This movie is still funny with the quirky British humor and is enjoyable.
  • phubbs1
    November 26, 2009
    phubbs1
    Nice quirky little flick this, decent British line up of the usual top funny people and Hoffman adding an American touch of class. Its a nice film with a great oldies soundtrack but its also alittle dull, nothing too much happening throughout really, just nice musical montages an...( read more)d the odd funny line. Its actually alittle childish in places too, alot of sex jokes that are as dated as the soundtrack haha its a good feeling film with a nice heart warming ending....just nothing special, enjoy!
  • DrZeek
    November 21, 2009
    DrZeek
    Gavin Cavanagh: Here's a rather long record. I hope I'm here at the end of it.

    A very sitcomy, ensemble comedy that makes a fictitious, funny, but uneven story out of actual events. The cast features Capote, Davy Jones, Sgt. Butterman, Hamlet, Nigel 'The Leg' Gruff, and Murray...( read more) from Flight of the Concords. Its very much a who's who of supporting British comedy actors, but the film is way to messy.

    During the 60s, a pirate radio station in the middle of the North Sea that's populated by an eclectic crew of rock and roll DJs; including The Count, played by Philip Seymour Hoffman, a big, brash, American god of the airwaves; Quentin, played by Bill Nighy, the boss of Radio Rock; Gavin, played by Rhys Ifans, the greatest DJ in Britain who has just returned from his drug tour of America to reclaim his rightful position; Dave, played by Nick Frost, an ironic, intelligent and cruelly funny co-broadcaster; and a fearsome British government official, played by Kenneth Branagh, out for blood against the drug takers and lawbreakers of a once-great nation. There are plenty more quirky characters aboard the boat, including the young Karl, who serves as our guide, as he is Radio Rock's newest member.

    Quentin: Your mother is dropping by to pay us a visit before Christmas.
    'Young' Carl: You're kidding? When does she arrive?
    Quentin: Tomorrow. She was always very impromptu. Anyway, I thought you might like to know, in case you want to brush your hair or hide the large stack of pornography you keep on that shelf.

    Directed by Richard Curtis, who scripted many of the big, British romantic comedies and directed Love Actually, its clearly another case of getting a large ensemble cast together and letting the chemistry make everything work. That is all well and good, but there are a number of moments that just drag on. This especially applies to everything involving the governments work to stop Radio Rock. The biggest problem I have with this movie is its terrible ending, which is literally just that - an ending, with really no closure.

    However, despite some major flaws, it is enjoyable due to the fact that you can clearly see that this cast is having a great time. There is really a great kind of feeling in this film that is as if you know these characters, like they are just a bunch of guys you hang out with, and that is certainly a good quality for a film to have.

    Very light and forgettable, but enjoyable moments scattered throughout.

    Angus: The way I look at it, the world couldn't survive without my comedy, and who's going to have the moral backbone to play the Seekers when the mood is right?
    Dave: They've split up.
    Angus: I intend to celebrate the back catalog.
    Dave: I intend to stop you doing so.
  • her69eyes
    November 12, 2009
    her69eyes
    After a delayed North American release and a title change, "Pirate Radio" (known in the UK as "The Boat that Rocked") finally makes it's way to an American audience. The film, although boasting a prestigious cast and director, isn't so much awards bait as it is a welcome distract...( read more)ion from the gloom that awaits us in the form of the big Oscar pictures like "The Road" or "Precious".

    The film begins in 1966, a time where rock-and-roll was largely banned on British airwaves. With the movement taking enormous steam, however, a loophole was found by broadcasting offshore. These DJ's, serving essentially as pirates, were a welcome distraction from the typical dreary news broadcasts that inhabited BBC.

    Each DJ becomes a sort of cult icon. The most well known of the men is named The Count (Philip Seymour Hoffman), an American willing to, quite literally, die for music. The closest thing we have to a protagonist, a young virgin named Carl (Tom Sturridge), is welcomed and soon embraced by his new companions.

    "Pirate Radio" plays like a television series more than anything else. It's vignettes are loosely connected, dealing with a specific relationship for ten minutes or so at a time before abandoning it. The film has a tendency to feel sloppy for that reason, but it also makes it fairly easy to digest - it's as if you're watching a group of shorts.

    Perhaps the biggest standout in the cast is Kenneth Branagh, who wisely overplays a prim-and-proper 60's conservative. There aren't a lot of people in the world who can get consistent laughs by calling somebody "Twatt". Nick Frost, from the Edgar Wright movies, is also startlingly good - while Simon Pegg's career as a lead isn't exactly flourishing, Frost may be well on the right track.

    Although it may be far from Curtis' previous efforts, "Pirate Radio" succeeds on it's charisma alone. It's performances are so lively, so likable. Quite simply, the film works because you enjoy spending time with these people.
  • HughDawg
    January 4, 2010
    HughDawg
    Not sure how much of fictionalization this is of real events but the movie works well on screen. The good thing about this movie is that the character development is so strong and rich. Good casting and writing help this no end. The setting is made clear and known; the backgro...( read more)und is rich and continues through the film.

    What made the film enjoyable for me is that we get to see the perspective and insight of multiple different characters through out the film. My only main criticism of the movie would be that is slightly homo erotic and that the male presence is far too strong and over bearing, but I suppose that cant? be helped given the circumstances. It is quite a long movie, but I didn?t mind too much. I know music is central to the film, but I found most of it quite ordinary and bland.
  • 21rclemente
    January 3, 2010
    21rclemente
    Loved this flic for several reasons. PSH was incredibly dossile and whitty, a great part for him. Nick Frost and Bill Nighty are incredibly complimentary and this flic has an awesome sound track featuring filmagraphy similar to Wes Anderson works. It may be a movie for those with...( read more) an acquired taste... I am one of those people.
  • darsys
    January 2, 2010
    darsys
    Nice film. Great sound track. Can't wait for the DVD! I met one of the guys this movie was based on. (It's a fictionalized account of a true story.)
  • pinnakvinna
    January 2, 2010
    pinnakvinna
    This movie was indeed very entertaining with a lot of great tunes and fabulous actors. This movie is set in the 60s where 8 Dj's are located on a boat in the Atlantic Ocean. They play rock music and broadcasted illlegal tunes and themes on the socalled 'pirate radio'. The governm...( read more)ent try what they can to stop these fellas and the youth adore them. This is the age of sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll. I would definetely watch this movie again just to hear all the great tunes combined with these actors.
  • snapesdesire
    January 2, 2010
    snapesdesire
    This was a really enjoyable film. It had a great story, a fantastic cast, was very witty and heart warming too. I enjoyed this movie more than expected and I feel it captured the essence of the 60's wonderfully.
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