'Welcome to Radio Rock' (The Boat That Rocked (DVD))

Member Name: hewhoisme

Product:	The Boat That Rocked (DVD)
Date:	25/10/09 (20 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: An amazing cast and some practically side-splitting moments

Disadvantages: Too long and too clever for it's own good

The Boat That Rocked is a swinging sixties laugh-a-thon about 'Radio Rock,' a fictional pirate radio station broadcasted from a cannibalised fishing trawler in the North Sea. The story starts when a young teenager called Carl is sent aboard the boat to live with godfather Quentin, since his mother feels he needs some adult supervision after being expelled. However, this turns out to be a 'spectacular mistake,' since the majority of Radio Rock's DJ's are alcoholic chain-smoking sex fiends, all aiming to live the 'rock and roll lifestyle' to the fullest. Carl is rapidly accepted within the group and forms a unique friendship with the eccentric and raucous crew members, who bring their own flair to Radio Rock's ethereal jam-fest. Unfortunately, their fun may be about to be cut short. The government, displeased by this flagrant mockery of 'polite British behaviour,' aims to shut down pirate radio and will use every underhanded legal trick in the book to see them sunk. Amongst all this 'Simple' Simon is having marital problems, Carl is desperate to lose his virginity, and the entire boat finds itself in the middle of an epic power struggle as two radio legends battle it out for supremacy. Yeah, even DJ's have problems.

The Boat That Rocked is in itself a great feel good film. It boasts one of the most superb casts ever brought together on one set, Bill Nighy, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Rhys Ifans, Nick Frost and Kenneth Branagh being some of the comedic heavy hitters, supported by hilarious up and comer's like Flight of the Conchord's Rhys Darby and Chris O'Dowd of the IT Crowd. The writing is absolutely superb and the cast create a great sense of camaraderie between themselves, which combined with sixties soundtrack makes the entire movie feel like one big night out. Unfortunately, it is also heavily flawed. In my opinion the movie tries too hard to be serious, throwing in various sub plots like Carls search for his father, and Simon's doomed loved affair, which lower the tone and are completely unnecessary. Sometimes it feels like the story is trying to be cleverer than it actually is, and trying to force character development where none was really needed. This, combined with the movies 129 minute runtime, can make it seem drawn out and convoluted, not helped by sudden tonal shifts as it goes from drunken silliness to solemn soul searching. In that sense it's quite similar to the Life Aquatic, just without Seu Jorge's awesome guitar skills.

The Boat That Rocked is a bit of a mess, but an entertaining mess nevertheless. If you can get over the plot, which can change direction so hard your head ends up backwards, you probably will enjoy it, and there are several scenes which are genuinely heart warming. Plus it isn't everyday that you get so many incredible actors in one film, and it is worth seeing for Bill Nighy's performance alone. Anyway, even if it doesn't make you smile it will definitely encourage you to blow the dust off your old Kink's records.

'All of the day, and all of the night...'

Summary: A great feel good flick, but sadly nothing more.