Pirate Radio

There are two recurring elements in Richard Curtis' filmography (besides Hugh Grant and loads of swearing, that is): awkward romances and great soundtracks. While the former has always been the best known, Curtis now tries to rectify it with his second directorial effort, The Boat that Rocked, which firmly places the emphasis on music. With the occasional romantic moment along the way.

Partly based on real events, the movie deals with the struggles faced by rock and pop music to emerge in England in the early '60s, when the BBC only played one hour of that music per day. The solution: pirate radio stations, situated in the North Sea, playing rock music 24/7. The young protagonist of the film, one Carl (Jim Sturridge) is sent to help on the boat that broadcasts Radio Rock, and ends up sharing experiences with the eccentric manager (Bill Nighy) and the DJs, which include the sardonic Count (Philip Seymour Hoffman), the philandering Gavin (Rhys Ifans) and the weirdly lovable Doctor Dave (Nick Frost). Their biggest problem: the British government, specifically an uptight minister (Kenneth Branagh) who intends to shut down pirate radio for good.

With romance taking a step back (albeit with enough room for a fun subplot or two), The Boat that Rocked is an affectionate and irreverent tribute to a lost era, deftly blending the right tunes - "Wouldn't It Be Nice" plays during a scene that gleefully spoof Titanic - and a mix of sweet and raunchy comedy, with the latter having a more prominent spot in this very guy-centric picture (a scene involving the use of the F-word on the radio also serves as satire, given the picture itself, released almost 50 years after the events, is R-rated for its liberal use of expletives). Strangely enough, though, the political bit of the story, while benefiting from a brilliantly stiff-upper-lipped Branagh, is the weaker section of the film, if only because Curtis, famously unable to restrain himself at times, overplays the joke of an assistant (Jack Davenport) being named Twatt - a poor hangover from the fourth Blackadder series that becomes grating after the first few times.

Then again, such issues are compensated by a lively pace, creative camera work and energetic performances. Sturridge does a good job as the audience surrogate getting us acquainted with the team, but the show is inevitably stolen by the more consummate players and, despite Hoffman's riotous work, the best laughs are inevitably British, with Nighy and Ifans delivering their customary Curtis-inspired performances and Frost proving he doesn't need Simon Pegg to shine. And for all the male-dominated atmosphere, fun cameos by January Jones and Emma Thompson make for some truly funny moments.

In other words, The Boat that Rocked isn't exactly as good as Curtis' biggest hits (then again, not many films can match Four Weddings and a Funeral), but as a piece of excellently scored and foul-mouthed escapism it's quite brilliant on its own terms. Only a real Twatt wouldn't want to watch it.

What a cute flick! As a (former) film reviewer I have absolutely no desire to dissect or critique this movie. I'm just taking it at face value. It's fun, uplifting and witty. It's obvious the cast had a hell of a good time making it (even the 'bad' guys). Hoffman and Nighey are in top form. The gags are good, even when they tank. And the ending gave a surprising increase in the tension/suspense.

Really can't find anything terribly wrong with this aside from the mild sexism but it's so subtle, I hardly noticed.

I've been going through a really rough time personally and watching this cheered me. What more could you hope for?

If you think of "Four weddings and a Funeral" or "Notting Hill", you will be a little disappointed, being here the overall tone not so brilliant, dialogues not so sparkling, however, the both humorous and moving atmosphere of Richard Curtis's comedies is still recognizable.

I think the real protagonist in "The boat that rocked" is music, that sound pop-rock that in the 60's began to move the world, and to be opposed by the establishment as a dangerous weapon in the hands of the multitudes, as a threat to a well consolidated but no longer valid system. Among unreal situations, a totally-lacking plot, among odd and eccentric characters, what only matters is that power of music to revive one's spirits, to give voice to the most uncontrolled, animal, ancestral instincts of man. And thus becomes, in my opinion, the most vivid scene that of those hundreds of records floating on the water, the symbol of a generation, of an era that was then ready to explode, and that no strict establishment could have wiped away, even once illegal radio stations were shut down.

No revolutionary message is conveyed: it's a good-humoured and at intervals melancholic tribute to a generation who, maybe ingenuously, but deeply, and truly believed in out of time-values, friendship, respect, love, and believed that music was a strong, and powerfully effective means to convey them. Even if you don't belong to that generation, each of us has experienced, one or more times in one's life, the communion of a piece of music with the most sensitive chords of our soul: it's about something emotional, but also physical and that's what the director just wants to celebrate.

If you are fond of music, or simply you have once in your life been moved by a song, you will like this movie, or at least enjoy it for what it is, without the necessity of too much criticism.

Entertaining. Hilarious. Cheesy at moments and not always historically accurate, but so uplifting! A solid feel-good film. That's how I would describe „The Boat that Rocked". The film is set in the late 60s and its story follows young Carl, who is sentenced by his mom to go live on a ship, where his uncle works. As he steps on board, he takes a spin on a carousel ride that will flip his life upside down. The ship shelters an illegal radio station, its eccentric DJs and a few other, but, just as important, characters. As Richard Curtis is a well known director, he's managed to gather one of the most exceptional casts I've seen for a while. Philip Seymour Hoffman, Bill Nighy and Nick Frost add another great performance to their list of already impeccable work. Tom Sturridge, supposedly the main character of the film, is a new discovery. You can see that the cast had great fun filming this movie. The one thing that makes this ride truly rock is the music. If you haven't fallen in love with the 60s music, you will after this film. The Kinks, The Rolling Stones, Leonard Cohen, The Who and Jimi Hendrix, these are just a few of the artists which form its amazing soundtrack. Many diss this film for its historical inaccuracies, for the partly anachronistic music that is used. This film is flawed, no doubt. There is no revolutionary message hidden in it or a strong plot. And it weirdly consists of mainly subplots. Despite all that, the film makes you want to join the cast dancing on board. It is a film of friendship and love. It is lighthearted and makes you smile like a dork even at the cheesiest moments. Even its very predictable ending doesn't take away much of that. I dare to say that this film will give energy to both the young and the old. Do not watch it for the plot or in search for accurate facts. Watch it for the characters and the emotions. Just lay back and enjoy the party.

Wow. I grew up in the 60's and into the early 70's and this movie says a lot of what we were all feeling if you were into the British invasion and the USA rock and lovin' it roll. If you were there, in the moment, you can really appreciate this movie.

I saw this movie years ago and came upon it again just today and it is still as good as the first time I saw it. Come on, British rock, mini skirts, white boo ga loo boots and everything else that came from Britain. Life was fun, exciting and free. I can only wish that new generations can listen to the wonderful sounds of British and new wave US rock from that era. It was a great time to be alive!