Pirate Radio

“How about it then?” A better finale than in Titanic. :-) From the amount of attention the film pays to certain characters, it is obvious that a lot more material was filmed that didn’t make it to the final cut. That, however, doesn’t change the fact that I really enjoyed this flick and the time spent with its characters. The film didn’t have any other ambition and I don’t require anything more. (08/19/2009)

After the for me quite annoying Love Actually, Richard Curtis moves considerably closer to my taste, but he’s still not all the way there. The Boat That Rocked is an easygoing film, you can switch yourself off, swim among the sounds of nice songs for 129 minutes and never think of it again, because the story has nothing to remember. In short, a nice snack with a perfect cast. 7/10 (08/11/2009)

I see it as a patchwork of scenes, with a very fluctuating level of wit, rather than as an whole film. Curtis defines himself in the screenwriter column, but as a director with scissors in hand, he cruelly overreached. He doesn't even have time to introduce, let alone develop, this parade of exhibition exotics, and if it weren't for the cast, who carry the film mainly with their eccentricity and charisma, this would have been a failure on all fronts. If they make it into a three-hour S.E. Cut or a straight six-part series for TV, I’ll give it full stars. They way it is now, it’s a desperately boring two hours. (08/23/2009)

Funny and nice bubblegum about the golden sixties, which inadvertently depicts the revolutionary era so correctly and ironically that it brings itself down. Over time, Curtis falls into a stereotype and the repainted visual serves the symbols of the 1960s completely devoid of any provocativeness and sex appeal. Nevertheless, excellent actors and a great soundtrack keep this ship afloat, although the bloated finale is noticeably embarrassing [70%] (06/16/2009)

The Movie That Rocked... Love, Actually put you in a good mood through love, Christmas and relationships. The Boat That Rocked did the same (equal quality, even funnier, but less touching for obvious reasons) through sex, drugs and rock’n’roll. It also applies that Curtis could objectively be faulted for a lot of other things. It’s just that, the same as with Love, Actually any objections are swept away in that “feel good" tsunami. And yes, the vast majority of characters are just like Billy Mack, but damn, that doesn’t matter one bit, does it? In addition to this, extensive and wonderful use is made of Morricone, along with the rest of the absolutely marvelously chosen rock hits of that era. P.S.: Toward the end we see significant curtailment (primarily of Branagh’s storyline), but I hope that the DVD will include extras with cut scenes like we got with Curtis’ previous offering - this movie deserves it. (05/27/2009)

An atypical mosaic on a single ship, lots of perfect hits, and another Curtis bomb that could easily be renamed as "Heavenly Wave." These moods, which are hidden very deeply, can only be evoked by a British genius with a weakness for relationships. (08/19/2009)

This is a film that is much more about depicting the relaxed atmosphere of the 60s with the arrival of rock and roll, sexual revolution, and liberal society than telling a story. However, it suffers from the fact that despite the presence of numerous top-notch and popular comedic actors from Britain and overseas, the script fails to bring out fully developed characters from the actors and sell all members of the crew to the audience. Many of them are simply criminally underutilized. Pirate Radio is more of a mishmash of entertaining scenes, among which unfortunately there is also a fair amount of filler in the style of sex-crazed groupies, wild parties, and so on. At the same time, I think that even the main character could have been cast with a more charismatic actor and the script could have given him more space. Perhaps the best part of the movie is the moments with the minister, who is portrayed as a caricature of traditional British conservatism and puritanism. Overall impression: 65%. (08/17/2013)

Curtis didn't disappoint me again, on the contrary, I have to say that this guy is becoming increasingly interesting. I've become quite used to smart and relaxed British humour, but his scripts overflow with it to such an extent that I'm always at a loss for words (which is quite strange given the length of the reviews). The Boat That Rocked is an amazing ride (cruise) with a great premise, brilliant actors, wonderful songs and of course a pile of condoms ready in case of an unexpected female visit. But I digress. It's by no means as big a hit as Love Actually and the long runtime was certainly not a plus in this case, but the group around the eternal rocker Nighy, the uptight Branagh (great role!) and, of course, the conductor Curtis delivered another great and unforgettable experience. At least that's how I feel at first. (01/13/2013)

Who would have thought that the director of "Love Actually" would make another film that would be an absolute hit. Richard Curtis, however, discovered his directorial ambitions in his old age, caught hold of them, and added great scripts that he had already written before, and he made two brilliant films. "About Time" is literally the prototype of a beautiful, funny, and sad romantic film, an intelligent film that simply must inspire. And it literally grabs you by the heart. Additionally, there is a pleiad of great British actors. The same applies to "The Boat That Rocked". Great script, solid direction, and excellent actors, who have changed quite a bit compared to "Love Actually". But Bill Nighy stayed, and it's a good thing. The same goes for Emma Thompson, whose role is truly minimalist. What is the whole thing about? It's about the fact that in the 60s, the British government simply did not tolerate rock 'n' roll, and it could only be broadcast on a ship that was anchored outside British territorial waters. People listened to the station because they simply loved rock 'n' roll. And who wouldn't love it. Curtis created an amazing mosaic of destinies, which is powerful, but what is the most powerful is the music. Rock 'n' roll is simply the real music, and the songs that are played here are wonderful. The soundtrack is an amazing composition, and this alone is one of the basic positives of the film. I hope that Curtis will make more films that are not only funny but also clever. More: http://www.filmovy-denik.cz/2012/06/rockova-lod-cruise-diaz-shawshank.html (02/21/2013)

I'd easily give eight stars if I could, because you rarely see such a splendid array of excellent actors and tasteful humor any time or place. The cast is undoubtedly probably the strongest argument for seeing Richard Curtis' second film at all – personally, I have to say that I was charmed by the undying passion for the cause, the "struggle between good and evil", and especially by Curtis' craftsmanship, which makes the viewer fall in love with the whole group in a very short time. The ending is an emotional mess, which certainly cannot be blamed on its creator. On the contrary, it feels extremely human and natural in such "un-American packaging". One of the most powerful films, with characters that really grow on you. (11/17/2012)