Pirate Radio

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Pirate Radio

R

Released Nov 13, 2009

2h 9m

Comedy

Drama

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Popcornmeter

59%

Tomatometer

164 Reviews

71%

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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.

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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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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

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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

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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

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Jonah Koslofsky

The Spool

The camera in Pirate Radio won't stop wobbling - it's so damn annoying.

Mar 19, 2021

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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Richard Curtis

Director

Philip Seymour Hoffman

The Count

Bill Nighy

Quentin

Rhys Ifans

Gavin

Nick Frost

Dave

Kenneth Branagh

Dormandy

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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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