***** Rating
15 Certificate, Opened UK 01.04.2009

Rocking the Boat!



The music that defined a whole generation in 1966, was not played on the radio. Unless one tuned in to one of the pirate stations, which played rock around the clock - and 24.000.000 Brits listened!

Fictive "Radio Rock" is one of these pirate stations. Afloat in the North Sea, the boat is home to 8 DJs, who live for Sex, Drugs, and - most importantly - Rock 'n' Roll.

Radio Rock is ruled by The Count (Philip Seymour Hoffman), an American who declares himself "God of the Airwaves". He is rivaled by DJ Gavin (Rhys Ifans), who, after returning from the US claims to be Britain's greatest disc jockey. The crew also features DJs Dr. Dave (Nick Frost), Small Hours Bob (Ralph Brown), Midnight Mark (Tom Wisdom), Simple Simon (Chris O'Dowd), newsreader John (Will Adamsdale), and comedian Angus "Nut" Knutsford (Rhys Darby). The only constant female on board is lesbian cook Felicity (Katherine Parkinson) who "can't just let the boys starve".

After being expelled from school, Young Carl (Tom Sturridge) is sent to the boat to spend time with his godfather Quentin (Bill Nighy), who owns the station. A "spectacular mistake", as Quentin puts it, as there couldn't be a wilder place in the UK than Radio Rock. While Carl becomes part of the crew, he finds friends, love and a father he's never known. The crew, as different as they might be, agree on two things they will not give up: their boat and Rock 'n' Roll.

In the meantime, the British government is trying its hardest to outlaw pirate radio stations once and for all in favour of the BBC. And they won't stop at anything to get "that filth" off the airwaves.



Packed with beats from the 60s, The Boat that Rocked is directed by Richard Curtis (Love Actually, Four weddings and a funeral) and partly based on real pirate radio station Radio Caroline. Although the movie is running for 135 minutes, it is packed with comedy, great acting and beats that have been rocking the world for 40 years. And times flies when you listen to good music!

Verdict: A feel-good movie that really rocks the boat!