Name: The Boat That Rocked
American Release name: Pirate Radio
Date: 1st April 2009 (UK) 13th Nov 2009 (US)
Genre: Comedy
Writer & Director: Richard Curtis (4 weddings and a funeral, Notting Hill, Bridget Jone's diary, Love Actually, Blackadder, the Vicar of Dibley)
Wikipedia: here (contains spoilers)
DT's Rating 8/10
Richard Curtis is, quite simply, a legend - having written some of the best British films and sitcoms of our age.
[seriously, if you haven't seen any of the credits listed to his name above, promptly slap yourself and go watch them. NOW. They're hilarious and heartwarming. DO IT! :p]
Therefore, when I learned that this was written and directed by him, I really looked forwards to seeing it - and I was not disappointed at all smile
In my 'research; (ho-hum) I was surprised to find that it absolutely flopped at the cinema and the box office (which somewhat explains why it's on DVD so quick), and lemme tell you now - it's completely unjustified. The Script is hilarious in places, the characters are vibrant, colourful and heartwarming, and the setting is great even though it does take somewhat a loose and very charactered stance on the history behind it's plot....but it's all in good fun.
In 1966 it''s the golden era of pop music and rock n' roll....but the only accepted radio station is the BBC, which plays less than half an hour of that kind of music a day. Consequently many pirate radio stations have popped up to try and fill the gap - broadcasting form boats in the sea so as to get through the legal loopholes and broadcast. Over 25 million people tune into the most successful 'Radio Rock' and the stiff and boring government is not happy.
The story's not particularly realistic even if the historical basis is very real - and it all comes down to sex, rock n' roll and having a great time vs the over-the-top old-man-style dissaproval of the government suits....but if you view the film as just a bit of fun (as it was intended) then you're sure to love it. All the good stuff of what makes Richard Curtis great are there in spades, and it's supported by an excellent cast of british actors - there's countless familiar faces biggrin
In short - great stuff and lots of fun. Well worth a watch for anyone, epsecially fans of the 60s.
8/10
So to the actors....who do we have?
[well tehse are the ones i knew best anyways :p]
Dominic Twatt - the civil servent - is played by jack Davenport (POTC's commodore Norrington)
Quentin - the radio station's boss- is played by the legendary Bill Nighy (davey jones form POTC, love actually, valkyrie,underworld, hitchhiker's guide to the galaxy etc etc etc)
Gavin - the eccentric star Dj- Rhys Iffran (little nicky, 'spike' in notting hill)
Dr Dave - DJ - Nick Frost (hot fuzz, shaun of the dead, spaced,
Felicity - lesbian cook - katherine Parkinson (the IT crowd)
Marianne - love interest - Talulah Riley (pride and predjudice, st trinnians)
Simple Simon - breakfast DJ - Chris O'Dowd (stand up comedian
Minister Dormandy-Kenneth Branagh (valkyrie, guilderoy lockhart in harry potter and the chamber of secrets)
Mother - Emma Thompson - (nanny mcpheee, sense and sensibility, love actually, sybil tralaweney in harry potter)
...so there you have it :p
