The Boat That Rocked (15)

Film

Comedy

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Time Out says

Tue Mar 31 2009

‘The Ship That Sank’ would be a more appropriate title for writer-director Richard Curtis’s latest and most disappointing entertainment. It’s a cripplingly self-conscious and self-satisfied tribute to the roistering last days of offshore British mid-’60s pirate radio before the meanies from the ministry pulled the plugs.

It’s also the kind of musical comedy where the actors seem to be having more fun than any audience could ever share. This overlong, poorly paced and slackly directed ship-bound farrago not only wastes its treasury of golden oldies – Hendrix, Kinks, Small Faces etc – but magically contrives to reduce the chaotic, creative spirit of the sexual and cultural revolution to a mere mechanical catalogue of trite and surprisingly sentimental sex-drugs-and-rock ’n’ roll clichés, each fatally underlined by multiple and repetitive reaction shots.

If there are compensations, they come courtesy of a few diverting performances. The movie’s depressingly few incidences of genuine feeling come from Tom Sturridge who is sweet and appealing as the public schoolboy taken under the wing of his godfather, ship’s captain and Radio Rock boss Quentin, played by Bill Nighy as a self-parody in made-to-measure Regency-collared suits. Philip Seymour Hoffman does a turn as the radical, Emperor Rosko-like DJ in rivalry with Rhys Ifans’s self-serving immoralist Gavin.

Elsewhere, pickings are slim: the talented Ralph Brown is wasted – he’s cast as Wee Small Hours Bob, a misjudged amalgam, presumably, of ‘Whispering’ Bob Harris and dysarthric Danny from ‘Withnail & I’ – and the same is doubly true of such comic talents as Chris O’Dowd, Rhys Darby and Nick Frost.

Author: Wally Hammond

99+

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Fri May 1 2009

Duration:

135 mins

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(272 ratings)

I hear both sides of these opinions. It was funny and I did laugh quite a few times, but I couldn't help being disappointed with the film's overall weakness. Having heard about it, I was ready for a quality film about a true and genuinely feelgood story, or a dramatization about Radio Caroline. (By the way I am 26 so have no memory of the original station!) I did enjoy the cutaway shots of the listeners - they gave me a rest from the un-story, and provided perhaps the only believable parts of the film! Tunes were quality yes, but in a film like this, that is surely to be expected? There were so many pointless parts to the story, like the squirm-worthy, poorly acted kid, and the government bloke called Tw@t, which could only go to decrease the film's credibility. And the ship sinking from some unknown, unexplained entity? Please. To conclude: even taking escapism into account, it was a disappointing take on a film that could have been truly great. Like a man with a limp handshake, you've got to do a lot to make up for this Mr Curtis. As someone else said, roll on the remake!

Chris Tue Dec 29 2009
Rated as: 3/5
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Absolutely loved it. Ok, so it wasn't particularly deep or innovative, but can't films sometimes just be stylish and fun? I was hugely entertained, and also went off and did a load of research on pirate radio. Very surprised by the difference in comments here and elsewhere.

Theresa Sat Dec 26 2009
Rated as: 4/5
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Worse than watching Sheffield United at wembley. I'd rather spend an evening locked up with fred west than endure this utter dross ever again. The actors must be embarassed about the end result. Complete rubbish.

Shaun Fri Sep 25 2009
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The worst film I ever endured in a cinema. I was sat cringing throughout. The characters have no character and I was waiting for the sinking with hope that would be the end but no - it just gets worse - sinking deeper into a pathetic plot which it seems the director does not know how to end. Absolutely zero star for me.

Colleen Fri Sep 25 2009
Rated as: 1/5
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Hands down most awesome movie of the year if not the decade!!

Douglas Thu Sep 24 2009
Rated as: 5/5
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delightfully funny and endearing movie.

simon Gardener Wed Sep 2 2009
Rated as: 4/5
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The amazon.co.uk listing of this film's DVD is remarkable. Almost entirely positive remarks. Why the contrast with this site? Are their PR firm starting to flog the DVD already in a vain effort to claw back some of the money wasted on this lamentable film?

Terry Sat Jul 11 2009
Rated as: 1/5
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A very perceptive piece of film criticism, turks. Well done. I'm sure you could do better if you tried.The

rubbisher Sat Jul 11 2009
Rated as: 1/5
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shut the hell up, you rubbisher. go and stink somewhere else.

turks Sat Jul 11 2009
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A great opportunity missed I believe. The concept of re-creating the atmosphere of listening to illicit music and cocking a snoop at the "establishment" at vthe time was great. Unfortunately the way it was portrayed in this movie, was amatuerish. Roll on the remake!!!

Seasider5 Fri Jun 12 2009
Rated as: 1/5
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The Boat That Rocked (15)

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