Pirate Radio Aka The Boat That Rocked Movie
| Resolution | Size | Download | ||
|
1920x1080 | 7422.49 MiB | 1080p | |
|
1280x720 | 4066.25 MiB | 720p | |
|
640x272 | 800.98 MiB | divx | |
|
480x204 | 582.41 MiB | ipod | |
Storyline
TAGLINES
1 Boat. 8 DJs. No Morals.
On air. Off shore. Out of control.
"The Boat That Rocked" is an ensemble comedy in which the romance takes place between the young people of the '60s and pop music. It's about a band of rogue DJs that captivated Britain, playing the music that defined a generation and standing up to a government that, incomprehensibly, preferred jazz. The Count, a big, brash, American god of the airwaves; Quentin, the boss of Radio Rock — a pirate radio station in the middle of the North Sea that's populated by an eclectic crew of rock and roll DJs; Gavin, the greatest DJ in Britain who has just returned from his drug tour of America to reclaim his rightful position; Dave, an ironic, intelligent and cruelly funny co-broadcaster; and a fearsome British government official out for blood against the drug takers and lawbreakers of a once-great nation.
| Bill Nighy | Quentin |
| Kenneth Branagh | Minister Dormandy |
| Philip Seymour Hoffman | The Count |
| Nick Frost | 'Doctor' Dave |
| Tom Sturridge | Carl |
| Rhys Ifans | Gavin Cavner |
| Rhys Darby | Angus 'The Nut' Nutsford |
| Tom Brooke | Thick Kevin |
| Gemma Arterton | Desiree |
| Ike Hamilton | Harold |
| Chris O'Dowd | 'Simple' Simon Swafford |
| Talulah Riley | Marianne |
| Tom Wisdom | 'Midnight' Mark |
| Will Adamsdale | 'On-The-Hour' John |
| Ralph Brown | Bob |
| Richard Curtis |
7.60 out of 10 (3536 votes)
Visitor Reviews
Uplifting, Entertaining, Hilarious, Lovable: Rock 'N Roll
posted on 29 Aug 2009This is exactly what the world needs, a good, warm-hearted, fun movie about friendship and camaraderie in which nobody dies, the only violence is a ten second, goofy bar brawl during a drunken stag party, and the evil villain is the personification of censorship. This movie is like the first half hour of The Deer Hunter except they then don't go off to war but continue to party for another hour and a half. The most excellent soundtrack of sixties British rock songs are only one highlight that will make you cheer as you watch The Boat That Rocked. The characters are perfectly cast, the plot is ultra-simple yet somehow it keeps your interest from beginning to end, and the comedy is character driven rather than slapstick: and the good guys win! This will be a wonderful movie to see around the holidays as it will keep you cheering. It's a bloody gas.
A funny movie despite its flaws.
posted on 27 Aug 2009After being expelled from his school, Carl arrives on the pirate radio boat, Radio Rock to spend time with his godfather Quentin. Meanwhile, the UK government have launched a crackdown on pirate radio stations...Richard Curtis has not made a movie. What he's made is series of episodes, inter-spread with the government sub-plot. While there is a thread of a story about what is happening on the boat, it's never really dealt with as is the case with several plot threads, such as the girl Marianne that Carl falls for. She disappears from the movie, only to re-appear in a scene that is certainly contrived. It's as if Curtis the writer has actually over-written the movie, and then Curtis the director has cut away several of the minor plots. In fact the only plot that doesn't feel cut is the government trying to close down pirate radio. What I think was needed was for Curtis to perhaps cut one or two DJ's from the boat, and that way allowing the sub-plots to flow better.Having said that however, There is much to enjoy here. The entire cast are first-rate. From Kenneth Branagh and Jack Davenport as the government ministers and officials to Philip Seymour Hoffman, Rhys Ifans, Nick Frost as some of the DJ's involved, Bill Nighy as the station owner and the rest, they are all good. And the script it has to be said is very funny. If there is a down side, the female characters aren't written very well. The seem to be there mostly as sex objects, and don't get to contribute much to the actual story.What does feel good however are the DJ's in the movie. As I said the actors are all good, but by getting a wide mix of actors playing them, no two DJ's seem the same. They all have there own personalities, and this comes over well, even if some of their antics do come over as juvenile at times.As he did with Love Actually, Curtis has created an ensemble piece, that while being funny, touching, and yes even emotional in places, isn't quite as good as you'd hope it would be. As mentioned, the boat scenes are too episodic and don't really have a narrative as such running through to sustain it. Though he does manage to pull of a wonderful, emotional finish which works very well indeed.And yet, despite its flaws, I did laugh constantly through-out. And that means that it works fine as a comedy. And it must be said, it does have a wonderful soundtrack.
I couldn't believe how toe-curlingly bad this was!
posted on 21 Aug 2009Thank God that I am now of an age that I can enjoy reduced admission charges at our local multiplex as I shudder at the thought of paying full price to see this bilge! We disregarded the acreage of adverse reviews which we had read in the UK press and have just paid the price for our disregard. I can only imagine how embarrassed some of the well-regarded actors and actresses must feel to have been involved in such a toe-curlingly bad performance as this turned out to be and I think that both myself and my wife deserve a medal for staying to the bitter end. True to say that I can remember UK pirate radio of the time and this bore absolutely no resemblance to those stations or, for that matter, to those times. Yes, I did enjoy many of the record tracks which played throughout the film but I could hardly score the film higher because they were playing! Richard Curtis should wake up to the fact that he has lost it for this and other of his recent works and get back to writing a decent plot without the smut and innuendo which, frankly,marred the story so much. Funnily enough, I do not object to strong language or sexually-explicit scenes but in this case, such as they were (and I am not suggesting that they amounted to very much), they seemed to be included out of desperation to cover up a paper-thin plot! Younger people may see this and think that it gives the flavour of the times and situation but for my generation it was simply dire!
A smart and witty story about love and friendship ON A BOAT!
posted on 17 Aug 2009Dude, I went into this only caring that it was starring Philip Seymour (?) Hoffman, and pretty much had little expectations as long as the movie was entertaining- well it was. The very well-scripted (all-star casted) characters created as organic a cast performance as I can remember seeing since Milk. The story of pirate radio leaves its foamtrail through the leaders of p2p filesharing and their unwavering declaration that art should be enjoyed by all, not only the few who are able to pay more than a meal's worth to be able to purchase a copy of the product, pre-packaged by an Industry that is certainly not furthering music as an artform. Getting back to the movie. This roll of film has put it together in a way that's only really reserved for (good) Academy Award winning pictures, but it doesn't get all Curious Case of Benjamin Button on you. The superb cast of actors all deliver quite genuine performances, even though it takes some growing into (like the movie) but there's enough sarcastic profanity that doesn't push it over the comfort zone. The tale of Radio Rock and its crew is one that transcends personality and nationality. Lots of sex and friendship and love, this movie is the antithesis of the consumeristic slavery of our civilization and is a (loose) guide to what we should all strive for in life. The Hitler-like English committeeman in charge with taking care of the Radio Pirates is an unabashedly serious caricature of government-led regulators holding the link between revenue generating industries and the voices of progress, each always trying to tip the balance in their favor. The plot gracefully glides into its climax and with no extended cuddling it exits leaving us a nice retrospective of the experience. For the patient and passionate viewer, this film is highly recommended.-cypheristikal
the film that rocked
posted on 13 Aug 2009I have been wanting to see this movie since I saw the trailer for the very first time. Today I finally got the opportunity. The plot sounded interesting and I was hoping to see a comedy that wasn't as predictable and forced romantic as a lot of comedies are. I wasn't disappointed. Sure, this isn't the most profound story ever told, but I wanted to have fun, and this movie definitely gave it to me. Another bonus is the great soundtrack, which carries the whole movie. After leaving the cinema you will want to listen to the songs featured in this film, just so you can enjoy the feeling of it a little longer. This film is funny from the beginning to the end, and there were moments when I couldn't stop laughing. If you want to see a feel-good movie with a plot that was, at least as far as I know, not used before, than this is the right film for you.
If you're not dancing in your seat, you're dead
posted on 09 Aug 2009Now I'm a child of the nineties and noughties, but that doesn't mean I don't recognise fantastic oldies music when I hear it, and I was immediately greeted with a barrage of it upon entering the cinema for this film. It only got better from there, great acting from ALL concerned (especially Bill Nighy. God, he's thin), awesome cinematography, and brilliantly executed gags. From start to finish my eyes were glued to the screen, there wasn't a boring moment for me to check the time, and I actually found myself limiting my mintie consumption so I didn't accidentally miss a gag. My only crits here are a couple of immature jokes (Twatt and Clitt, anyone?). The characters were really well constructed, and I fully recommend this film to fans of British comedy, or just good music
Carry On Climbing Up The Ladder
posted on 03 Aug 2009My God this was an awful film.And I was looking for every once of delight as without thinking too deeply, this seemed a rich area for a feel good film. (Yes I have. See my review in January.) I had heard some excruciating reviews, but to be fair, there have been any number of Richard Curtis films post 4W&AF which struck me as mawkish at the time, but now feel quite pleasant in a nothing else on the telly sort of way.Thus the precise perfection of sub-three minute ground-breaking distorted guitar that was The Kinks, against an exploding background of unself-consciously happy, dancing people boded ever so well. You Really Had Me from "Girl".But then what? A succession of mind-numbing excuses for plots/laughs that drift away without the slightest effort of context, culminating in PSH and Rhys Ifans seeing how far they can climb up a ladder. Laugh? No.A slow word rate and general lassitude meant I had the Carry On references in my mind before the sad news about Peter Rogers. My condolences.Ron (Viewed 7Apr09)
The Boat that Rocked on and on and on and on
posted on 03 Aug 2009It would seem that comedic standards are sinking to new lows, I had a good vibe about this film as Richard Curtis has proved himself to be a witty and skilled writer, but this movie was not funny.Of course it had a few moments but all the jokes were forced and blatant. This further annoyed me as it was not the actors (All whom had good talent but was poorly wasted) fault but the fault of a rushed and sloppy screenplay. An example of this was when Curtis tried to really pull the viewers heart strings but hadn't spent enough time developing the character or his situation.And this leads to my main problem, The length. There were so many unnecessary reaction shots every time something happened and there were countless pointless scenes, so much else could've been done making a better flowing story, giving a background or (SPOILER) ..... letting us see what became of the 2 bad politicians.The Best parts. It wasn't all a shipwreck (no pun intended) Phillip Seymour Hoffman was great as usual and Rhys Darby (The guy from Yes Man and F.O.T.C) proved to be a scene stealer and delivering the good lines and managed to hold his own with the A-List cast.The Worst of the worst parts. Calling a character T-Wat. This is both not funny and also lazy writing by trying to milk cheap laughs. My other problem was the soundtrack I love the songs in the movie and that is my favorite decade of music (1965 - 1975) but people were using this as an excuse to give the movie 5-star ratings in our local paper, This really got to me as It was a good selection but it doesn't make up for all the other leaky holes on this film.(Pun intended)If you've got a spare $13.50 by all means see it for cheap entertainment but if you are selective about what you see steer clear.
Review : The Boat that Rocked
posted on 30 Jul 2009I thought that the idea, the music and the people around the country dancing along and listening to the radio were all done well - however - although I thought that the characters played by Philip Seymour Hoffman, Bill Nighy, Rhys Ifans and a cameo role by Emma Thompson were good and enjoyable, it was very, very noticeable that the rest of the cast were incredibly weak, and the story / plot line was very poor – and it (I believe) is the weakest of all Richard Curtis's recent works - and the ONLY saving grace holding it together is the music (which would have carried any film on it's own anyway) - ultimately, (excuse the pun) I think that Richard Curtis has really missed the boat with the adaptation of this – when this film had all the ingredients and the potential to be a much, much better movie.See the film for the music alone ... and NOT for the story or the rest of the film.The soundtrack will be popular.Unfortunately ... I really think that a golden opportunity was missed with the potential of this film
The Boat That Rocked
posted on 30 Jul 2009Honestly, i just saw this a couple of hours ago. and its great fun of a movie. i honestly thought that they seriously enjoyed making it, which the cast said they did. i say if you go in with very high, or high expectations then you'll pick out every thing about it. just go in with fun in mind and you'll receive. i know the main plot was barely looked at, but that wasn't the point of the film. it was about them doing what they wanted to do. I think they didn't try with the jokes and that was a good thing because otherwise you could obviously tell when they were trying to be funny and just get more angry at it. I honestly haven't had this much fun seeing a movie in a long time. it had real heart and feeling to it. i would recommend it to anybody who just went for a laugh. if you went for unbelievably high expectations then its not gonna seem interesting. p.s. the music soundtrack will also either make or kill it for you. i am a huge classic rock fan so i'd give it 5/5
Bring Back The 60's!
posted on 28 Jul 2009I went to see this movie last night and really enjoyed it. It is a "feel good" movie, but what's wrong with that in these times? The music is absolutely superb. It reminded me of old favourite records I'd forgotten, and even my 20-something daughter liked the tunes. The chap opposite me (another 50 something) was toe-tapping all the way through! It's easy to forget just how good late 60s music was, with today's wan superstars continually fighting to keep their face in the Media- who are happy to oblige them.I judge a movie by how quiet the audience is at "crisis moments" and in the cinema last night you could hear a pin drop.I predict critics may sink this movie with their whinging. Then the soundtrack will reach a wider public, including the kids, who will then go see the movie.It's a slow burner, but it will take you back to happier times and make you feel younger and lighter of heart. If that's not enough for a movie to deliver, then I don't know what is. Go see it.
Delightful
posted on 28 Jul 2009I saw it twice on my overseas trip to Egypt and twice on my way back and loved every minute of it. I mimed the songs (passengers on the plane would not have appreciated me belting out Rolling Stones and Donovan:)) and danced on my seat all the way. Philip Seymor Hoffman was a delight and quite a fantastic actor and he really had tough competition since the whole cast was exceptional. Rhys Ifans is a far cry from the skinny weirdo on Notting Hill. Bill Nighy was a bit similar to his Love Actually role, still a favorite of mine. Emma Thompson was on for a few minutes, but you cannot imagine anyone else in that role. And, you can hardly recognize Kenneth Branagh! A must see movie for young and old, especially old because it will make them feel young again. I am 57 today!!
Very funny and clever
posted on 28 Jul 2009The best feel-good-factor film I've seen since Little Miss Sunshine. In 1967 I won a transistor radio and spent the next ten years listening to Radio Caroline (at night under the pillow, so the early scene is uncanny!!) The film is a clever amalgam of pirate radio fact and myth featuring barely disguised DJs, and cameo scenes from album covers, fashion shoots, etc.. (orgy in the hold = Electric Ladyland; girls arriving on the prow of the boat = Mary Quant...; poster scenes = Abbey Road..., etc.) Anyone's guess if the station/boat owner is based on Ronan O'Rahilly. The kind of guy who, 20 years later might have founded a low-cost airline; The Marine Offences Act was a heinous offense against liberty and popular culture, worthy of the cold war opponents.Beautifully filmed, a bit like smoking grass while listening to CSNY.
The Boat That Sucked (a.k.a. Carry on Broadcasting)
posted on 26 Jul 2009"The Boat That Rocked" should have been a great movie, given its subject matter but unfortunately writer/director Richard Curtis has provided a poor script that really should have had a number of rewrites before it was put into production. Unfortunately Curtis has really has lost his way in the last few years since he wrote and directed "Love Actually", which was a good film, actually. But whilst he has undoubtedly done good work in the past, he clearly needs a director who can tell him what works and what doesn't. It is telling that he has reportedly credited director Mike Newell for the success of "Four Weddings and a Funeral" in steering his script towards a general story arc rather than a collection of comic set-pieces. Unfortunately this film could have done with Newell's input: it is nearly all comic set-pieces (most of which are not that funny). Curtis is clearly not the best director of his own material and if he ever gets to make another film for Working Title, one hopes that Tim Bevan and Eric Fellner will hire someone other than Curtis to direct it.Some of the actors in this film fare better than others. Philip Seymour Hoffman is excellent as The Count (obviously based on Emperor Rosko), proving that acting quality can make up for a lot. Bill Nighy plays Bill Nighy excellently and Rhys Ifans, Ralph Brown, Nick Frost and Chris O'Dowd do a lot with what they are given. However newcomer Tom Sturridge, the son of "Brideshead Revisited" director Charles Sturridge, is lumbered with the Hugh Grant role, complete with "ums" and "ers" and the floppy hair style while Tom Brooke, playing Thick Kevin, gets saddled with dialogue that is clearly stale Baldrick leftovers from "Blackadder". Recycling is a good thing to be sure but it shouldn't extend to recycling characters from films/television programmes that you may have written in the past. Feel free at this point to rearrange the words "trick", "one" and "pony" into a well-known phrase.As for the female actresses, they suffer a worse fate. The talented Gemma Arterton and Tallulah Riley both get cough and spit roles that mainly consist of taking their clothes off and getting into bed with Nick Frost (at least I can see what attracted Nick Frost to this film). January Jones (from "American Pie: The Wedding" and Curtis' "Love Actually") turns up long enough to marry Chris O'Dowd before running off with Rhys Ifans 17 hours later and Emma Thompson as Sturridge's mother is depicted as a slut ("a sexual legend"). Doesn't Curtis realise how sexist his portrayal of women is in this film? Only the lesbian character portrayed by Katherine Parkinson is treated with any sympathy, more I suspect due to the diktats of political correctness than how a lesbian would really have been treated on a boat full of sex-starved men in the Sixties. As for the token coloured character, don't even get me started on that. This is wish fulfilment stuff of the worst kind and completely unbelievable).However, the two actors who get the rawest deal of all are Kenneth Branagh and Jack Davenport. Branagh plays the film's main villain, Dormandy, a stereotypical portrayal of a repressed Tory determined to clear the airwaves of anything except for classical music. In case we haven't already twigged that Branagh is the villain of the film, he is always seen wearing a suit, his hair slicked back and sporting a moustache that makes him look like the mutant off-spring of Adolf Hitler and Blakey from "On the Buses". The only surprise is that his moustache is not the twirly type beloved of Victorian melodrama. As his henchman, Jack Davenport's character rejoices in the name of Twatt (the sound you can hear at this point is the sound of the barrel being scraped in the search of a very cheap laugh). Naturally Branagh gets to address the unfortunate Twatt by his name at every possible opportunity as if this constant repetition will make it funnier. Memo to Curtis: No it doesn't. Given that these two work in a vacuum from everyone else in the film, it really would have been a good idea to get rid of them altogether and cut down the film's indulgent running time. They would not be missed.However, despite all this, at around the 105 minute mark, something very strange happens to this film. It's the equivalent of jump-starting a car that has a flat battery. Just when you think this particular boat is holed below the waterline and is about sink with all hands, taking the careers of a number of very good people with it, the boat itself starts taking on water and sinks (just as happened with the Radio Caroline ship on which this film is based). And this last 30 minutes of the film is great. It's everything the previous 105 minutes should have been and wasn't. Okay, so some shots in this sequence have clearly been "inspired" by "Titanic" (including the plates falling off the shelves in slow motion, here replaced by records) but as this segment of the film is so well done, I'm prepared to cut Curtis any slack I can at this point. The juxtaposition of some great music with some memorable images is particularly well done and the special effects shots are astonishing (this really looks as if it was done for real even though it can't possibly have been – just like the climbing race between Rhys Ifans and Philip Seymour Hoffman earlier on).So if you get lured to the cinema (or video shop) to see this film on the strength of Richard Curtis' name and the great films with which he has been associated previously, start off at the 105 minute mark and just watch the last half an hour of "The Boat that Rocked". Because, trust me, it isn't going to get any better than that.
The best film since School Of Rock
posted on 24 Jul 2009It has been a good while since I have seen a film as good as "The boat that rocked", it was quite simply superb.The film is a fantastic insight into the pirate radio theme, with some superb acting, huge dollops of laughter, some sad moments but a whole lot of fun, the boat that rocked is set to become a "feel good" classic.Aside from this there is some gorgeous music from Rock and Roll's finest hour so far, if you enjoy such classics as the rolling stones and the kinks, you should see the film for the music alone.All in all I was blown away by how good this film was, It has got to be one of my favourite films of all time simply because it just hit the spot on a "good time film", you will come out of the movie feeling great.There are two things on earth that no tyrant,no government and no "oppressors" will ever be able to stop, one is music and the other is laughter, this film has both.
A simple "feel good" movie
posted on 16 Jul 2009I'm going to keep this short. Watched it, loved it. It's a simple, "feel good" movie with the greatest music of the 60's and 70's that will make you smile. Sure it's not realistic when it comes to peoples communications and reactions to certain incidents but thats the charm of it. It even has a little twist of drama but not enough to ruin the comedy. It was amazing to me how the soundtrack just managed to get better and better, endless amount of rock/pop singles, thoughts like "aaaa i love that song" and " ohh man i had forgotten that one" often occurred to me. I thought the characters and the actors were great although some of the characters we're a bit useless i liked them after i was about 20 min into the film. I think we could use some pirate rock stations where i live, stations that will play and say what ever they please.Final words. A movie witch is fun to watch.
The Boat that Rocked Rocks!
posted on 16 Jul 2009This film is amazing, thoroughly enjoyed it. Apart from being the best entertainment value I have had at the Cinema in ages it also has a killer sound track and a great cast. Philip Seymour Hoffman gets better every movie I see him in, Rhys Ifans is great as ever and the whole cast right the way down the list was amazing. It not only showed just how much of impact Pirate Radio had in general but also how stuck up and out of date the government was at the time (and some may argue still is) and just to add icing on the cake i have always had a soft spot for Gemma Arterton and Talulah Riley, now i think i could quite easily fall for Miss Riley, especially dressed up in 60's clothes. Would heartily recommend this film to anyone who enjoys a laugh, being entertained and to anyone who likes real music.
Total disconnect from subject matter
posted on 12 Jul 2009This movie pretends to be about a real era in British broadcasting set in the historical year of 1966. The movie begins with what appears to be the original script by using a CNN-like introduction. Then the script (if there was one) was thrown away. The ending is like the beginning - a stab at a serious conclusion. The middle is total and utter garbage. My take on the middle (the guts of the movie), is that it is if the original script was substituted for one written by Howard Stern imagining what it must have been like to have been an offshore pirate DJ in 1966. But Stern was not there and the real story had no relationship to his style and manner of broadcasting. I saw this movie in England about a week after its original release. Having written about the real events concerning offshore pirate radio in 1966 for academic journals; having been a teenager in England in 1966 who listened to those stations and having met many of the real people who made those stations a reality, I was offended, bored and annoyed. So avoid the movie and buy the DVD if you must in order to get the outtakes. There were two ships used in the filming but one of them ended on the cutting room floor - possibly as a result of the script change during filming. Better still, save your money and hope that someone makes a movie about the real story. This movie is a total insult to anyone who listened to the real offshore pirate stations of 1966.
Radio Rock Revolution
posted on 08 Jul 2009My summary line is the German title of the movie. And yes the German title of the movie is actual an English one! But that aside it is also the name of a Radio station. A radio station that "helped" many listeners through rainy days and nights, as it is depicted in the movie, which is romanticizing the pirate radio revolution and it's DJ and demonises, the law (portrayed by Kenneth Branagh, who seems to enjoy his part very much).Despite this black and white ideology, the movie still works, especially because of the actors. They are all great in it and the fun they had making the movie translates onto the screen. No coherent story to be found here and the premise is only loosely based on real events (that's how it feels). But it's still more fun to watch those guys rockin and rollin, then watching some other movies.
Rocks with a passion.
posted on 31 Aug 2009Rock and roll is a form of artistic expression that may not go quite as far back as the medium of film, but nevertheless shares common goals and reasons for their continued existence. That is, aside from the more obvious ostensible traits that each shares, there are certain under-the-surface qualities that broaden each beyond mere disposable entertainment into a realm of utter significance and profound enlightenment. Yet, this wasn't always the case; at least, not in the eyes of the Powers That Be within the more conservative of governments and states. Rock and Roll, just like its very distant cousin—the amateur film—was seen as a derogatory subsidiary of an art once controlled by the respective powers; put such a form of expression in the hands of hooligans and good-for-nothing layabouts, and your country is booking an advanced flight to hell, it would have seemed. Fortunately however, despite the power that those few "right-thinking" individuals had garnered through their political endeavours, they were nevertheless in the distinct minority.The Boat that Rocked then, is a story about the underdog majority—a concept not frequently visited upon by anyone but the bravado of rock and roll itself. It's a story about passion and love driven by a love for music and freedom as a whole; indeed there are many times that Phillip Seymour Hoffman could easily be imagined sporting St. Andrews cross across his pained blue face, preaching about the sanctity of not only freedom of speech, but freedom of expression. Most importantly however is that The Boat that Rocked never gets caught up in its themes of such political incline; in fact, the majority of the feature's robust runtime is instead focused upon the characters, and how they begin to find solace within that very ship as they learn to call it home. From that rickety old boat, a select group of radio DJs would not only empower a generation of music lovers who wanted more than a half hour of pop music a night broadcasted by the BBC, but they would find a family and in turn create living memories of laughs, parties, sex and, well; rock and roll. Throughout the course of Radio Rock's voyages of the airwaves, we are compelled to feel for the struggle that these people are going through, but not only because of the freedom they stand up for, but because we also feel their bonds; the government, with their cold-faced callousness in trying to shut down rock and roll radio, are a threat to that family, and the sense of protective empathy that Curtis evokes is palpable.Despite the many ties that bind film and rock music together however, there remains a distinct lack of such movies catering to the subject matter itself, never mind even including a soundtrack aligned to the pop world. Yet as history has proved on a few select occasions, bringing the two together can achieve a profound effect—something magical happens when a human, heart-felt series of images and characters with a story to tell are spliced together with the exact same sense of empowerment through music rather than images. The result is a moving one, creating tangible emotions within the viewer that are brought out almost instantaneously with the simple combination of music and image. Indeed, if there is any sole testament to the importance of a feature such as The Boat that Rocked, it's how it can be used as a tool and example of how music can add multiple dimensions to a story that would otherwise fail to exist. Not only does this boat's music tug at the heart strings; it also invigorates and excites at the right moments whilst also reverberating the same emotions that the actors are portraying. Granted, not all of them work, but most do and do so with a vigour that most films never even get close to.Of course, this brings me on to the performances themselves which quite frankly come nowhere short of being absolutely delightful and charming to watch. Literally speaking, there is no weak link here; the ensemble as a whole not only work terrifically well on their own rights, but also share a bond that strengthens the movie's themes on friendship and simply having a good time. Indeed, it's of no stretch of the imagination to see that the actors had a lot of fun making this thing, and the characters on screen shine as a result. Again, it's hard to single out anyone in particular because it's the kind of feature that works best when taken as a whole, but be sure that all involved give standout performances that really are a joy to watch beginning to end.When it comes down to it though, the entirety of The Boat that Rocks' viewing experience comes down to one of breezy, theatrical entertainment punctuated by the energy of the cast and silly fun balanced with heartache drenched in pathos that slowly develops within the script. It's a story that has everything from laughter and tears, to amusing song-and-dance sequences and empowering balls-out bravado rebellion that makes you want to punch the conformist suits in their stodgy, colourless faces. And yet, without the music itself, such a film wouldn't simply lack a reason to exist, but would also lack a much needed aesthetical limb. The Boat that Rocks is a rare breed of feature that lives and dies on it soundtrack, and that's why it's such a pleasure to affirm that not only does this boat live, but it rocks with a passion. It's fun, it's lively and it's downright hilarious at any given moment with just enough pacing and development of character to keep things emotively engaging all the same—oh, and did I mention the totally awesome soundtrack? - A review by Jamie Robert Ward (http://www.invocus.net)