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Pirate Radio

R Released Nov 13, 2009 2h 9m Comedy Drama List
60% Tomatometer 167 Reviews 71% Audience Score 250,000+ Ratings
In 1966, BBC radio broadcasts less than an hour of pop music a day, forcing pirate DJs to take up the slack from boats anchored outside British waters. Quentin (Bill Nighy) is the commander of such a pirate station, overseeing a host of seedy, lusty and dope-smoking DJs, including the Count (Philip Seymour Hoffman) and Dave (Nick Frost), who makes it his personal mission to see to it that Quentin's newly arrived godson (Tom Sturridge) loses his virginity. Read More Read Less
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Critics Consensus

The good cast and rollicking soundtrack eventually drown when this comic homage to pirate radio loses its quippy steam.

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Critics Reviews

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Deborah Ross The Spectator The Boat That Rocked is pointless, shapeless, historically bogus and so emotionally disengaging you can't even feel the soundtrack. Aug 29, 2018 Full Review Perri Nemiroff CinemaBlend No morals, no shame and good music; who wouldn't want to climb aboard Radio Rock? Rated: 3.5/5 Aug 14, 2010 Full Review Jonathan F. Richards Film.com Curtis's movie is loosely based on the historical truths of the time, but it isn't meant as a documentary, a rockumentary, or even a docucomedy. It's just a hell of a lot of fun. Nov 22, 2009 Full Review Brian Eggert Deep Focus Review Pirate Radio is a film about the beginning of an age, and it captures that energy quite well. The plot may be treated in perhaps too fluffy a manner, but it’s an enjoyable experience, even if it was chopped and abbreviated by the distributor. Rated: 3/4 Aug 30, 2023 Full Review Jonah Koslofsky The Spool The camera in Pirate Radio won't stop wobbling - it's so damn annoying. Mar 19, 2021 Full Review David Walsh World Socialist Web Site In Curtis's somewhat primitive view of things, the 1960s prove to have been about sleeping with whomever you liked, vaguely anarchic attitudes, and listening to loud music. Feb 13, 2021 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Free S OKish movie for single time watching. Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 07/14/24 Full Review Jack V slucajno sam rejtovo nisam gledao Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 01/30/24 Full Review John S Terrific film - typically British and a bit low on production values, but great soundtrack and spirited acting. I liked it a lot. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 12/10/23 Full Review Tim S One of the all-time great rock & roll films. Hilarious and cool from start to finish. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 07/20/23 Full Review DavidJames D The boat that Rolled … tame n lame. As safe as Red Nose Day evening tv. Kenneth Branagh as the baddie - yawn. This thinks it's funny :-( Plenty of overacting … a wasted opportunity to explore one of the most explosive times in rock n roll & British music radio. Read Johnnie Walker's autobiography instead. Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars 02/16/23 Full Review Julia S One of my favourite films ever. Impossible to watch it without dancing on your sofa 😂 Kind, light-hearted and sweet it will cheer you up and leave a very pleasant aftertaste. :) Rated 5 out of 5 stars 10/10/22 Full Review Read all reviews
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Movie Info

Synopsis In 1966, BBC radio broadcasts less than an hour of pop music a day, forcing pirate DJs to take up the slack from boats anchored outside British waters. Quentin (Bill Nighy) is the commander of such a pirate station, overseeing a host of seedy, lusty and dope-smoking DJs, including the Count (Philip Seymour Hoffman) and Dave (Nick Frost), who makes it his personal mission to see to it that Quentin's newly arrived godson (Tom Sturridge) loses his virginity.
Director
Richard Curtis
Producer
Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner, Hilary Bevan Jones
Screenwriter
Richard Curtis
Distributor
Focus Features
Production Co
Working Title Films
Rating
R (Language|Brief Nudity|Some Sexual Content)
Genre
Comedy, Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Nov 13, 2009, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
Feb 12, 2014
Box Office (Gross USA)
$8.0M
Runtime
2h 9m
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