How many of you remember Titanic? Not Kate Winslets's nude drawing or her sex scenes with DiCaprio. But the end, when the boat was drowning and all the emotional shit that followed. Did you ever wonder, if everyone aboard the Titanic were saved in the end, EVERYONE, would it bring a smile to your face? The Boat That Rocked (2009) is a much better, less depressing, fun boat, that actually rocks. It's a boat that you wanna save, at any cost.
Set in 1966, it is a story is about Carl (Tom Sturridge), an 18 year old who is sent to meet his Godfather Quentin (Bill Nighy) because he was expelled from school for smoking, drinking and doing drugs. His godfather happens to own a pirate radio station, Radio Rock. That brings us to the subject of the movie. Illegal radio stations that played rock and roll music 24 hours during the 60s because BBC Radio only played them for 45 minutes a day and the jealousy of The Queen's Government which outlawed them in 1967. The movie is one of the best political satires ever to be produced in the modern day.
The cast includes a variety of actors, each having delivered great performances. There's The Count (Phillip Seymour Hoffman), who's an American by birth. See the irony? Thick Kevin (Tim Brooke) is a thin guy who has his own way of understanding things, which almost always is wrong. Felicity (Katherine Parkinson) is the only woman on a no-woman boat, because she's a lesbian. Simple Simon (Chris O'Dowd) is a love-deprived gullible soul. Dr. Dave (Nick Frost) is the always horny, love doctor. Bob (Ralph Brown) handles the early morning shift since past 7 years, though nobody has seen him, as he's a recluse. Mark (Tom Wisdom) is the ever silent one, but the most popular DJ. Angus "the nuts" Nutsford (Rhys Darby) is the comedian. Talulah Riley (Marianne) is Quentin's niece, terribly beautiful who manages to charm Carl, falling for him eventually. I'm just mentioning her because she's beautiful.
Radio Rock hits a small iceberg (pun unintended) when the Government, in its first strike, bans advertising on radio. To help them, Quentin ropes in Gavin (Rhys Ifans) who is a pervert on the air, and (not surprisingly) a runaway legend. The idea for banning advertisements on radio is brainchild of Twatt (Jack Davenport), whose name is a great metaphor for most government officials.
In its second strike, Government plans to take mass consent to wipe out pirate radios. But sadly, the public is with radio rock. Eventually, in the third strike, Government passes a bill that makes pirate radio illegal. In the words of Sir Alistair Dormandy (Kenneth Branagh), "You see, that's the whole point of being The Government. If you don't like something, you simply make a new law that makes it illegal." It's a perfect definition of Government.
The story is awesome, so is the cinematography. Excellent performances by everyone, even the smallest character. But you know what takes the cake? The intricate dialogues. They seem like they've been specially carved for each character.
E.g.:-
Thick Kevin: It's type of bird, but it's wearing a hat. Not so much a hat. Something that's at the top of a coat and attached to the coat and covers the head, but is not a hat.
'Young' Carl: A hood?
Thick Kevin: Yes, and now the first name, type of bird. It's a something hood.
'Young' Carl: Robin Hood! Why didn't you just say he lived in Sherwood Forest and has a bow and an arrow?
Thick Kevin: Yeah? What? Who are you talking about?
'Young' Carl: Robin Hood.
Thick Kevin: I didn't know that."
Richard Curtis manages to charm me again, just like he did in About Time (2013) and Bean (1997). The fact that he's involved with a legendary character called Mr. Bean, is hardly a surprise.
Only a passionate human being can make such a passionate movie. The movie managed to hold my attention and made me love it, despite me not being so much into music. Music lovers will find a lot in it for them. So will a lover of good movies.
Who says period movies have to be boring? Quoting The Count "Here's a rather long record. I hope I'm here at the end of it.", here's to many more such entertaining periodicals, which I hope to see in the future.
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