Pirate Radio (The Boat That Rocked) (2009)

Featured Audience Ratings

• Alice S

  
  Aww what a nice-ass movie. Nice-arse, excuse me. It's all at once, a romantic bildungsroman, a triumphant battle of wills, a comedic slice-of-bro-life, and a love letter to rock and roll, as evidenced by the rip-roaring soundtrack and the stationary instead of scrolling text… More
  Aww what a nice-ass movie. Nice-arse, excuse me. It's all at once, a romantic bildungsroman, a triumphant battle of wills, a comedic slice-of-bro-life, and a love letter to rock and roll, as evidenced by the rip-roaring soundtrack and the stationary instead of scrolling text during the song credits :~P All the characters are zany, sexy, eccentric, and just so bloody likable! There are a few implausibilities though (some pointed out on IMDb) like some anachronistic songs and The Count's miraculous resurfacing from the wreckage. The suction would have dragged him down!

• Jens S

  
  Only the Brits can pull off a film with no real story arc, just carried by a dozen crazy but lovable characters, a wonderfully slimy opponent and a very unique and charming location. There is no real plot to this film about the rise of 1960s rock'n roll thanks to a British pirate… More
  Only the Brits can pull off a film with no real story arc, just carried by a dozen crazy but lovable characters, a wonderfully slimy opponent and a very unique and charming location. There is no real plot to this film about the rise of 1960s rock'n roll thanks to a British pirate radio station on a ship, except that a special person in the government wants to stop them. Kenneth Branagh actually channels Adolf Hitler as wonderfully narrow-minded politician, while the ship crew consists mostly of freaks who win our hearts in an instant. The soundtrack is accordingly excellent, with all the great hits of the time. And so we follow the crew through some naughty, funny, sometimes tragic adventures and have the time of our lives. Everyone involved clearly had fun making this film and it clearly shows and easily transfers to the viewer. It certainly wouldn't have needed the turn to more dramatic events, but the film is too smart to wallow in real drama for too long, even if it sometimes looks like it. In the end it's like watching Steve Zissou on crack: A film like a wild fun boat party. The idea to show some album covers of the best records of the last 50 years is just as awesome.

• Michael M

  
  The boat nearly sinks halfway through but it redeems itself with 60's culture refrences and pure comedic skill. It was likable and welcoming as I recieved an unusual feeling that I was there on the boat with them all those years ago.

• Pierluigi P

  
  Too bad. It almost had me for a moment (thanks to the soundtrack), but in the end the coming of age story doesn't grab and is not funny enough. Only Bill Nighy and Kenneth Brannagh play interesting characters, the rest are forgettable, especially the lead.

• KJ P

  
  It's style does not match the 60's to perfection, but the premise and the substance was brilliant. It is 2 hours of sex and rock & roll music, which is a great combination for a great time. The acting is great, the characters are great, and you actually care about the… More
  It's style does not match the 60's to perfection, but the premise and the substance was brilliant. It is 2 hours of sex and rock & roll music, which is a great combination for a great time. The acting is great, the characters are great, and you actually care about the plot. Pirate Radio soars in it's genre with a stunning soundtrack and a believable scenario. I love this film, but it does lack the one thing it should have throughout, a good pace to keep you interested. I was interested for about and hour and a half, but for that hour and a half, I had a smile on my face. The ending is phenomenal and could not have played out any better than this. Pirate Radio Rocks!

• paul s

  
  I believe it was Wavy Gravy who first said "if you remember the 60's you weren't there". This homage to a time and place seemed to be scripted by a bunch of dudes hanging out and smoking weed; and yet, other than getting the munchies, I felt really good watching… More
  I believe it was Wavy Gravy who first said "if you remember the 60's you weren't there". This homage to a time and place seemed to be scripted by a bunch of dudes hanging out and smoking weed; and yet, other than getting the munchies, I felt really good watching this film, even though it doesn't really go anywhere or have anything significant to say other than "long live Rock and Roll" (but I guess that's enough). The story is a real one (although stretched to the absurd) - while Brit Rock and Roll was revolutionizing pop music, the stuffed shirts at the BBC (puppets for the conservative government) played NO rock music on the state radio (which eats up like 99% of the bandwidth). So, in order to get around the regulations, Pirate Radio stations set up in the North Sea,just outside the five mile territorial zone and broadcast the Kinks and Stones for everyone to hear. On board the broadcast ship you have 8 deejays (each doing a three hour stint), a news and weather guy, an engineer,a cook and the owner/manager. They all hang out, get high, and dig on life and the music - that's pretty much the film in a nutshell. Unfortunately the film glosses over the perfect storm aspect - with so much social unrest and rebellion against authority and the staid status quo, rock music, through its anthems to freedoms of all kinds (oh my god - let's spend the night together: blasphemy!!!) - galvanized what so very many people were feeling worldwide. Sadly, the film turns glib instead of pointed, and the polarization of we vs them (the man) is reduced to a cartoonish portrayal whose soul purpose is to garner laughs. Those laughs are abundant however. From the ultra straight laced minestry buffoon, played with great gravitas by Kenneth Brannaugh, to the aristocratic yet free love advocating ship owner, wonderfully portrayed by Bill Nighy, as if he's channeling Peter O'Toole - the film boasts wonderful acting chops. However, since the story sticks to the superflous, it fails to be anything more than a hazy rememberence of a time, seen through rose colored glasses. As Phillip Seymore Hoffman (typically wonderful) pronounces "I had a terrible thought that I just can't get out of my head... we are living in the best days of our lives". Indeed - the nostalgia quota is high here. I can remember being sent to bed where I had my transistor radio - spending an hour or so late each night listening to freedom on the radio.

• Cynthia S

  
  I LOVED LOVED LOVED THIS MOVIE!!! This movie was the best I've seen in awhile, and definitely a new fave. It was the perfect combo of hilarity and nostalgia... rock and roll, coming of age, damning the man. I completely fell in love with all the characters, partly because of the… More
  I LOVED LOVED LOVED THIS MOVIE!!! This movie was the best I've seen in awhile, and definitely a new fave. It was the perfect combo of hilarity and nostalgia... rock and roll, coming of age, damning the man. I completely fell in love with all the characters, partly because of the script and partly because of the talented acting... the way they grow and develop in their relationships with each other makes me want to be best friends with them all. And of course, the soundtrack is rockin. I agree with some other reviews that the deleted scenes are great. It's a shame they weren't included in the actual movie. Definitely watch it. Definitely recommend it to friends. I can't believe it wasn't more well received!

• Ginny  

  
  Pirates & awesome Rock n Roll. What more can you ask for? Highly enjoyable, totally hillarious & dafty. I could watch it again, and again, and again, and again!

• Daniel P

  
  Can movie be great solely for its soundtrack? Pirate Radio's as close as it gets. Decent acting, interesting characters, all around solid ensemble work in this coming of age/social revolution story of the pioneers of UK rock radio. Kenneth Branagh is especially good, and yes, the… More
  Can movie be great solely for its soundtrack? Pirate Radio's as close as it gets. Decent acting, interesting characters, all around solid ensemble work in this coming of age/social revolution story of the pioneers of UK rock radio. Kenneth Branagh is especially good, and yes, the music is great: the director uses all of the Who, the Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, Van Morrison, the Band, the Kinks and more - 52 songs, in all - to their best usage, setting the sonic backdrop for the story. In the end it gets a little cheesy, wallking the line between ironic and over-the-top and momentarily falling over, but on the whole this is good film that I feel I could watch many times over in years to come.

• Lady D

  
  Great music, appauling film! I couldn't find anything likeable about it, despite liking a lot of the UK filled cast and even with the addition of Philip Seymour Hoffman, I had expected this to at least be a silly funny film, but it really didn't even begin to get the… More
  Great music, appauling film! I couldn't find anything likeable about it, despite liking a lot of the UK filled cast and even with the addition of Philip Seymour Hoffman, I had expected this to at least be a silly funny film, but it really didn't even begin to get the chuckle muscles moving

• Stuart B

  
  Have it, not seen it.

• Chris W

  
  Like Almost Famous and High Fidelity, Pirate Radio (The Boat That Rocked) is a flm that is about, for, and celebrates rock n roll and its fans. Like Howard Stern's Private Parts, it's about expression, rebellion, and fighting those who say "NO!" And, unfortunately,… More
  Like Almost Famous and High Fidelity, Pirate Radio (The Boat That Rocked) is a flm that is about, for, and celebrates rock n roll and its fans. Like Howard Stern's Private Parts, it's about expression, rebellion, and fighting those who say "NO!" And, unfortunately, while this films doesn't quite reach the level of greatness of those previously mentioned films, this one is nevertheless a rocking, entertaining, and fun ride. I did kind of wish there would have been some more dramatic tension throughout, as what real tension that does exist doesn't come until the end, and in a jarring emotionally uneven way. It basically goes from fun to dead serious in too short a time span. Another gripe I have, (and this should be a deal breaker), is that the music that's featured rocks, but more than just a small amount of it is used anachronistically. Films set in 1966 shouldn't be playing stuff that come out after that, I don't care how awesome any of it is. Still though, my bias is such a strange one that I'm gonna give this film a pass anyway since the music does rock, and there are some really good sequences throughout, particularly the game of chicken set to Ennio Morricone. I really liked the cast, (especially Ifans, Hoffman, Frost, and Nighy) and the fact that, even though the dramatic tension is mostly lacking and uneven, that the film was pretty easy on the plot. However, it would have been nice had the introduction showed how pirate rado got started instead of just telling so they could get right into the story. I'm glad this movie was made, as it tells a story that cinematically deserves to be told, but damn it should have been better.

• Jeff "

  
  Pirate Radio is about a group of 8 Dj's Illegally broadcasting a rock radio show from a ship anchored off the coast of Britain in the 1960's. The BBC back then strongly regulated Radio, and Station in Britain were not allowed to broadcast a single hour of Rock music. So… More
  Pirate Radio is about a group of 8 Dj's Illegally broadcasting a rock radio show from a ship anchored off the coast of Britain in the 1960's. The BBC back then strongly regulated Radio, and Station in Britain were not allowed to broadcast a single hour of Rock music. So pirate radio stations started popping up. This film is loosely based on those facts. As a former radio student, I absolutely adored this film. It's a film with charm, and camaraderie. The film is funny and is very enjoyable. I loved it. Sure, it's not accurate 100%, but who cares? it's a pleasant time waste, and as a former radio student, this film has my stamp of approval.

• Summer W

  
  I know this movie is "based in truth" but I have no idea how much of it is accurate, as it seems to be a bit of a fantastical account. Nevertheless, it's a fun story about people who really loved rock and roll, and considering I do too, it was a good time.

• Michael S

  
  Fun, charming, great cast, great music; yet unfocused and a tad overlong. PIRATE RADIO (The Boat that Rocked) had the potential to be a great film (a la Curtis' LOVE ACTUALLY), instead it's just a very good one.

• Jake .

  
  Simply put, I loved this movie, every minute, every frame, every aspect. Is it perfect, not at all; but I really do not care. Richard Curtis is a complete master at making feel-good movies, and Pirate Radio does not fall flat in any way. It a way, I think we automatically think of… More
  Simply put, I loved this movie, every minute, every frame, every aspect. Is it perfect, not at all; but I really do not care. Richard Curtis is a complete master at making feel-good movies, and Pirate Radio does not fall flat in any way. It a way, I think we automatically think of movies like this as being "intelligent" films - for lack of a better word. It is a period piece and based on true material. As such, I just would not have expected anything this ... fun. There is not any depth or historical relevance. Instead we have incredible charisma. Simply put, movies come along far to infrequently that have both this degree of quailty and comedy. The music and style of absolutely amazing, but that seems to be the main emphasis of the marketting. Pirate Radio creates one of those worlds that you cannot help but want to live in, a world where everyone can wear leather pants and checked dresses. Just a exteamely fun and lovable movie from start to finish. It also deserves to be mentioned that the main "message" of the thing seemed to be "lets stick it to 'the man'" Come on, you know you love it.

• Steve K

  
  This film has so much going for it, both in front of and behind the camera, that I couldn't help but feel disappointed by just how small and indifferent the whole thing felt. It has a terrific soundtrack, likable and wacky characters... but a certain lack of substance. It… More
  This film has so much going for it, both in front of and behind the camera, that I couldn't help but feel disappointed by just how small and indifferent the whole thing felt. It has a terrific soundtrack, likable and wacky characters... but a certain lack of substance. It doesn't help that some of the "villainous" characters have names like "Twatt" and "Clitt" (no, seriously, those are the last names of characters, not even nicknames). Oh well, still worth a watch, especially if you like the music of that era.

• Lewis C

  
  Pirate Radio (or The Boat That Rocked, or whatever name you want to use) definitely has a Cameron Crowe-type feel to it. It's not a clone of any of his movies, but it shares the elements of surrogate families, people being united by music, and coming-of-age stories.  I was a… More
  Pirate Radio (or The Boat That Rocked, or whatever name you want to use) definitely has a Cameron Crowe-type feel to it. It's not a clone of any of his movies, but it shares the elements of surrogate families, people being united by music, and coming-of-age stories.  I was a little confused about how the focus shifted from a character, to more of an ensemble piece, by the end of the movie. It made the narrative seem a little disjointed. A quick look at the cast lets you know that the acting probably won't be a disappointment, and it wasn't. Philip Seymour Hoffman and Bill Nighy were as excellent as the world has come to expect them to be, while Nick Frost nearly stole the movie every moment he was on film. There were several very beautiful actresses who made the best of some rather smallish roles, including January Jones, Gemma Arterton, and Talulah Riley. That's a lot of bang for your buck.  The first three-fourths of the movie are good (not great), but the last quarter was a little of a disappointment, for me. The tone of the story changed drastically, and not for the better. Still, it was a good (if by-the-numbers) movie.

• First L

  
  Pirate Radio (AKA "The Boat That Rocked" in the UK) takes the dynamic concept (pirate radio stations aboard ships off the coast of England in international waters broadcasting rock-n-roll that's being underplayed or outright banned by the national radio stations) and… More
  Pirate Radio (AKA "The Boat That Rocked" in the UK) takes the dynamic concept (pirate radio stations aboard ships off the coast of England in international waters broadcasting rock-n-roll that's being underplayed or outright banned by the national radio stations) and makes a second-rate coming-of-age film out of it. I've seen so many of these formulaic films in the recent past (Humboldt County, Adventureland, Taking Woodstock), and each one has been pretty poor. The idea that a film is supposed to be mirroring real life doesn't mean it doesn't need to have a plot. And what all these films lack is any sort of story to tell. They're merely premises that are rarely, if at all fleshed out. Philip Seymour Hoffman is the Count, the 40-something year old DJ who gets all the young girls (because DJs are like rock stars, right?), while Nick Frost plays the even more unlikely ladies' man, Dave. The pirate radio DJs flaunt their status while nazi-esqe government minister Kenneth Branagh rants and impotently raves (and hams up the screen). A new kid is brought on board, and with the help of this surrogate family of radio personalities, he comes of age in the free love 60s. Lots of things happen, but really this film, minus the premise, is completely interchangeable with every other film just like it. I was excited to see this film, being a fan of sixties pop, but the music, what this film should be all about, is a decent, but standard crop of oldies. It's just not as inspiring as it wants to be. In a word, Pirate Radio is underwhelming.

• _kelly .

  
  I CANNOT believe I've forgotten/delayed this review for this long. I four star it because it is just such a fun movie. I was tempted to slice half a star off because the central character's story is uncompelling and executed to produce no emotional effect on the viewer.… More
  I CANNOT believe I've forgotten/delayed this review for this long. I four star it because it is just such a fun movie. I was tempted to slice half a star off because the central character's story is uncompelling and executed to produce no emotional effect on the viewer. Instead all of the supporting characters' stories are far more intriguing and actually garner our interest for the short spots each character gets. Obviously a fantastic soundtrack, a beyond amazing cast that any lover of Brit-com will find beyond delightful, and great use of montage makes for a truly positive viewing experience. Expect many repeat views as this has enough drama worth retreading many times over for its emotional effects.

Read all 20 featured audience ratings