Pirate Radio
2009 · Movie · R · 135 min · ★ 7.2 · 59% critics
A band of rebellious radio hosts sets up shop on a ship, blasting banned music across the airwaves and stirring up trouble along the way. As officials try to shut them down, the crew leans on friendship, chaos, and a love of rock to keep the signal alive.
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Streaming on HBO Max and Cinemax — or rent from $3.99.
2 hours to watch.
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Details
- Original title
- The Boat That Rocked
- Years
- 2009
- Release date
- 2009-04-01
- Language
- English
- Rated
- R
- Runtime
- 135 min
- Critic score
- 59/100
- TMDB rating
- 7.2/10 (2,297 votes)
About
You’ll likely enjoy this if you want a rowdy, music-first comedy about outsiders pushing back against rules, with big nostalgia energy; Not for you if you need a tight plot or subtle humor like Pride.
Pros: killer throwback soundtrack; energetic, feel-good fun; likable misfit crew | Cons: thin, sketch-like plot; crude, uneven humor; too long, drags
Themes
- ship
- rock 'n' roll
- great britain
- radio station
- north sea
- pirate radio
- rebellious youth
- swinging 60s
- censorship
- radio dj
- 1960s
- teenage protagonist
- +1 more
Cast & crew
Tom Sturridge
as Carl
Philip Seymour Hoffman
as The Count
Rhys Ifans
as Gavin
Bill Nighy
as Quentin
Emma Thompson
as Charlotte
Nick Frost
as Dave
Kenneth Branagh
as Dormandy
January Jones
as Eleonore
Gemma Arterton
as Desiree
Jack Davenport
as Twatt
Directed by Richard Curtis