Pirate Radio (2009)

I'm going to keep this short. Watched it, loved it.

It's a simple, "feel good" movie with the greatest music of the 60's and 70's that will make you smile. Sure it's not realistic when it comes to peoples communications and reactions to certain incidents but thats the charm of it. It even has a little twist of drama but not enough to ruin the comedy.

It was amazing to me how the soundtrack just managed to get better and better, endless amount of rock/pop singles, thoughts like "aaaa i love that song" and " ohh man i had forgotten that one" often occurred to me.

I thought the characters and the actors were great although some of the characters we're a bit useless i liked them after i was about 20 min into the film.

I think we could use some pirate rock stations where i live, stations that will play and say what ever they please.

Final words. A movie witch is fun to watch.

Fmovies: Dude, I went into this only caring that it was starring Philip Seymour (?) Hoffman, and pretty much had little expectations as long as the movie was entertaining- well it was. The very well-scripted (all-star casted) characters created as organic a cast performance as I can remember seeing since Milk. The story of pirate radio leaves its foamtrail through the leaders of p2p filesharing and their unwavering declaration that art should be enjoyed by all, not only the few who are able to pay more than a meal's worth to be able to purchase a copy of the product, pre-packaged by an Industry that is certainly not furthering music as an artform. Getting back to the movie. This roll of film has put it together in a way that's only really reserved for (good) Academy Award winning pictures, but it doesn't get all Curious Case of Benjamin Button on you. The superb cast of actors all deliver quite genuine performances, even though it takes some growing into (like the movie) but there's enough sarcastic profanity that doesn't push it over the comfort zone. The tale of Radio Rock and its crew is one that transcends personality and nationality. Lots of sex and friendship and love, this movie is the antithesis of the consumeristic slavery of our civilization and is a (loose) guide to what we should all strive for in life. The Hitler-like English committeeman in charge with taking care of the Radio Pirates is an unabashedly serious caricature of government-led regulators holding the link between revenue generating industries and the voices of progress, each always trying to tip the balance in their favor. The plot gracefully glides into its climax and with no extended cuddling it exits leaving us a nice retrospective of the experience. For the patient and passionate viewer, this film is highly recommended.

-cypheristikal

This film is about a pirate rock radio station in British North Sea in the 1960's.

I have watched several movies about British music history, and I have enjoyed none of them. So it was a pleasant surprise when I watched "The Boat That Rocked", as I find it very enjoyable.

The plot emphasises on the the character's interpersonal dynamics, their passion for music and their strive to rebel. It is a well written and well told story. Character development is excellent, each of them have different charisma and charm. They engage me throughout to the point that I feel what the characters feel. The film is very good, you have to see it to believe it.

Pirate Radio fmovies. Richard Curtis' first 'non romantic comedy film' is really another romantic comedy film- it's just that the romantic bit gets swamped within 20 other sub-plots so you try and not notice.

The Boat That Rocked sees Carl ( Tom Surridge ) go aboard Radio Rock- a pirate radio station owned by Quentin ( Bill Nighy ) whose DJ's (Phillip Semour Hoffman, Rhys Ifans, Nick Frost, Chris O' Dowd, Rhys Darby, etc. ) broadcast 24-hour rock and roll music to the UK. They are adored by the populace but hated by the government, including the Minister of Communications ( Kenneth Branagh ) and his chief subordinate ( Jack Davenport ) who aim to shut them down.

If that was the extent of the plot then it would probably be a 100 mins film. However the Boat That Rocked has so many little sub-plots- many seeming like excuses to put in another montage or cameo cast appearance that the time has ballooned out to 154mins and it does tell at times. Furthermore, while Richard Curtis is entitled to look back on these days with an air of nostalgia, he sometimes seems to get a little too weepy eyed with the story.

But these faults are more than made up for in the performances; all of which are good- and some are outstanding. Phillip Seymour Hoffman's Count is a lovable character who approaches everything with great gusto, while Chris O' Dowd's Simple Simon has a wonderful part in the middle section of the movie which brings a little bit of emotion to what is a pretty emotionally vacant movie. Nick Frost is cheeky as Dr Dave and finally Rhys Darby- fresh from Flight of the Conchords- simply shines in his role as the unpopular and daggy Angus who nonetheless gets arguably the best line in the whole movie.

Overall the Boat That Rocked is silly and entertaining fun. It does get overweight by a looong script, but the soundtrack and the cast are good enough to carry it through.

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.

This is the Film of the year! No specials effects and CG and just a nice vibe to it. I found this film to be profoundly good. MUCH, MUCH better than I ever expected. Hoffman always delivers and with great UK talent. I was truly dumbfounded. Writing is good, plot is solid, Acting is fantastic, story line is great and the best movie score/soundtrack I have heard in recent history. It is fairly long but goes well with a cold one on a weekend. I hope it gets huge distribution in the US! It's a fun,uplifting, feel-good, strange and yet inspiring film. To be based on a true story and deliver this is impressive. I will tell everybody about this one. Watch it.