The Boat That Rocked

2009 "On air. Off shore. Out of control."
7.3| 2h15m| R| en| More Info
Released: 13 November 2009 Released
Producted By: Universal Pictures
Country: United States of America
Budget: 0
Revenue: 0
Official Website: http://www.theboatthatrocked.net/
Info

An ensemble comedy, where the romance is between the young people of the 60s, and pop music. It's about a band of DJs that captivate Britain, playing the music that defines a generation and standing up to a government that wanted control of popular culture via the British Broadcasting Corporation. Loosely based on the events in Britain in the 60's when the Labour government of Harold Wilson, wanted to bring the pirate radio stations under control, enough to see the passage of the Marine Broadcasting Offences Act on 15 August 1967. Also known as "Pirate Radio".

Genre

Drama, Comedy

Watch Online

The Boat That Rocked (2009) is currently not available on any services.

Director

Richard Curtis

Production Companies

Universal Pictures

AD
AD

Watch Free for 30 Days

All Prime Video Movies and TV Shows. Cancel anytime.
Watch Now
The Boat That Rocked Videos and Images
View All
  • Top Credited Cast
  • |
  • Crew

The Boat That Rocked Audience Reviews

Stevecorp Don't listen to the negative reviews
Curapedi I cannot think of one single thing that I would change about this film. The acting is incomparable, the directing deft, and the writing poignantly brilliant.
StyleSk8r At first rather annoying in its heavy emphasis on reenactments, this movie ultimately proves fascinating, simply because the complicated, highly dramatic tale it tells still almost defies belief.
Logan By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.
magdi-dawood Well, it's not gonna be a detailed review It's just that this movie what's all about is one of my dreams to have a rock radio channel It's a connection with others, sharing what u feel with people you really don't know, and this will lead us to the end of the movie Loyalty The same loyalty to your favorite band when you attend a concert, the same loyalty when you keep repeating a song over and over again and you feel that the writer wrote it for you and the composer and the vocal Is you The acting wasn't that great, few nonsense and unexplainable points in the scenario, but I accepted all of this because I will follow the unwritten deal between the audience and the director, he will pretend that he is not tricking me and I will pretend that he didn't :) well done, good movie and joyble one
chris_rogers I don't see why this movie flopped at the box office. It was a very enjoyable movie and one of my favorite films of all time. The music used in the movie was accurate for the time period betrayed and the actors and actresses in the movie were just amazing. Where else can you get 60s music and boobs? (Other than for 99 cents at your local dirty movie theater during the Sunday Matinee)
bandw In 1966, during a time when rock music was at its height, only a few hours a week were broadcast on English radio. A few music lovers and DJs decided that this was unacceptable and got on boats off the coast in international waters and broadcast to the mainland 24/7. The government did not like this corrupting, immoral music and tried to shut offshore broadcasting down. This movie imagines what it might have been like on one of those "pirate" ships, a ship called "Rock Radio." When I say the movie imagines this, I am not implying that this is an attempt at a documentary; it is rather a whimsical interpretation that gathers together a collection of fun-loving oddballs on board in a story strong on low humor. The crew is all male, except for one female who is lesbian. There is enough character development so that encounters among the crew members are believable, in the context of a crazy story. There are some really funny touches like a Dunkirk-like rescue of the ship's crew at the end.All members in the ensemble cast turn in quality performances. And the scenes involving members of the British government are hilariously satiric. If I were forced to single out an outstanding performance, I would have to point to Kenneth Branagh as Sir Alistair Dormandy. Little did I suspect that Branagh had such a talent for comedy.One main thing that appealed to me was that the cast itself was obviously having such a good time--they were really getting into it and their spirit rubbed off on me. The fact that almost every scene was accompanied by a famous rock-'n'-roll hit from the 60s, often in storyline support of what was happening on screen, made this tribute to rock-'n'-roll a particular treat for me as one who grew up with this music.I think this had to be a labor of love for director Curtis. Highlights of the DVD are the deleted scenes. It's worth watching those scenes with the introductions by Curtis; he points out that it tore his heart out to delete the scenes, since they were some of his favorites. They were deleted since they did not directly advance the storyline, but I see why Curtis liked them. I found them to be some of the most entertaining scenes.I didn't expect to like this, but I was infected by its playful spirit.
bugandlolly Another film I rented because of the trailer and because of the cast. And I loved it. I understand that what I saw was the gutted "short" version made for US viewing. I would love to find the original but even the version I saw was wonderfully funny and genuinely touching in parts. And the cast! Philip Seymour Hoffman, Bill Nighy, Rhys Ifans (what an interesting actor he is) Kenneth Braugnah (spelling? eek!) and Nick Frost! Really, I mean WOW!This film has received a lot of negative reviews and bombed at the box office. I would simply like to urge viewers who see the value in smaller films, who are not driven to stand in line for the next block buster, who enjoy ensemble casts and British humor, to give it a shot. Bill Nighy alone is worth the rental fee. Yes, there are flaws. Yes, some of the sound track is questionable but it was fun to hear those old songs again, even the ones I didn't like.One negative review stated that people who lived during the 60's were not nostalgic for the 60's, since they were living them. I think that may be a misinterpretation of the "Count's" comment (loosely paraphrased) that this will be "the best time of his life." That is not nostalgia, it is the gut wrenching awareness that no matter how long you live, no matter what else you do, this moment, this time, this place, will be the one by which all others are measured and the devastating knowledge that none will even come close. Those moments of insight do happen, I had one, and damn it, I was right!Another negative review mentioned the interspersed montages of people listening to the radio show and said they were unnecessary. I disagree. This was a different time. Music of all types is available now 24/7 but not then.The montages show people from all walks of life listening to the same music played by the same DJ's. The "pirate" status of the show brought them together, made their listening more intense, gave it a kind of conspiratorial, us against them, quality and showing that helped with the ending.So, if you like offbeat films, enjoy great performances, like to hear 60's music (even the stuff you didn't like then) and like to cheer for the good guys, check this film out. I for one would like to see it get the credit I think it deserves.