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Plot Summary
From the creator of Love Actually and Notting Hill comes a trip back to the freewheeling, free-loving ’60s when the very rock music that inspired a generation was censored by the government. When a group of rebellious deejays decides to defy the ban, they take to the seas to broadcast music and mayhem to millions of adoring fans. Featuring a soundtrack that includes The Who, The Kinks, Jimi Hendrix, David Bowie, The Rolling Stones and many more, it’s a feel-great film based on a true story that critics cheer is "exuberant!" (John Powers, Vogue)
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Screenwriter
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Rotten Tomatoes Movie Reviews
TOMATOMETER
61%- Reviews Counted: 157
- Fresh: 95
- Rotten: 62
- Average Rating: 5.7/10
Top Critics' Reviews
Fresh: Boys will be boys and often at top volume in Pirate Radio, Richard Curtis's fanciful fiction about rebel broadcasters.
Fresh: The boat nearly sinks from character overload, and Curtis brakes when you most want him to gun it. But there's no denying the comic energy of the cast.
Fresh: The film's original title was The Boat That Rocked. Indeed, these freewheeling, swinging '60s DJs braved their own Titanic to keep on rocking in the free world.
Rotten: Despite Curtis' bumbling, Pirate Radio manages to stay afloat bravely enough -- at least until the climax, which comes off as a confused marriage between Top of the Pops and Titanic.
Customer Reviews
Nicely cast, good tunes
Sure, I was around when Pirate Radio was happening, so maybe I do like the movie because it reminds me of sex, drugs and rock 'n roll. The movie was a surprise, and a good one. I enjoyed the casting and costuming, Bill Nighy, Emma Thompson and Rhys Ifans. The tunes, while not strictly dating from the 60's, were well chosen, perfect for a rainy afternoon on the couch with The Big Lebowski. Don't look here from serious drama. It was enjoyable and entertaining.
Can't decide
Was Pirate Radio a bad movie? Or was it simply too nostalgic & friendly to possibly be any good?
Like an animated film, the characters are overly-colorful, the jokes (while rapid) are lightweight, and there's never any true crisis to be averted -- most times, a conflict that arises is neutralized immediately in the next scene. It's your Full Monty/Biily Elliot/Saving Grace-class feel-good-British-comedy-that-gets-an-American-release with less quirkiness and quite honestly nothing truly at stake until 5 minutes before the end. It feels like you're watching someone else's edited memories of the era.
It is presented as "based on a true story", but I believe the problem was the true story could be summarized in a quarter-page story in the paper.
Basically, if you do not personally remember the 60s, odds are you won't be pleased with this movie.
What ive been waiting for
I am 14 yrs old and i dont like modern music much, this is the revival of classic rock that i have been waiting for. 5 stars for making a lottle boys dream come true
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