| Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
|
|
Michael Hadley | ... | Mr. Roberts |
| Charlie Rowe | ... | James | |
| Lucy Fleming | ... | Mrs. Roberts | |
| Philip Seymour Hoffman | ... | The Count | |
| Tom Sturridge | ... | Carl | |
| Ian Mercer | ... | Transfer Boatman | |
| Bill Nighy | ... | Quentin | |
| Will Adamsdale | ... | News John | |
| Tom Brooke | ... | Thick Kevin | |
| Rhys Darby | ... | Angus Nutsford | |
| Nick Frost | ... | Dave | |
| Katherine Parkinson | ... | Felicity | |
| Chris O'Dowd | ... | Simon | |
| Ike Hamilton | ... | Harold | |
| Stephen Moore | ... | Prime Minister | |
This movie is an ensemble comedy in which the romance takes place between the young people of the 1960s and pop music. It's about a band of rogue DJs that captivated Britain, playing the music that defined a generation and standing up to a government that wanted classical music, and nothing else, on the airwaves. The Count (Philip Seymour Hoffman), a big, brash, American god of the airwaves; Quentin (Bill Nighy), the boss of Radio Rock - a pirate radio station in the middle of the North Sea that's populated by an eclectic crew of rock and roll DJs; Gavin (Rhys Ifans), the greatest DJ in Britain who has just returned from his drug tour of America to reclaim his rightful position; Dave (Nick Frost), an ironic, intelligent, and cruelly funny co-broadcaster; and a fearsome British government official out for blood against the drug takers and lawbreakers of a once-great nation. Written by Production office
'The boat that rocked' is your average English comedy.
Its highly original setting, on a 1966-clandestine Sixties' pirate-radio ship, surely warms the heart of everyone around at the time -- listening in when you were supposed to sleep or to do your homework. All excitement of those long-gone days is well revived.
This 1966-nostalgia keeps you on your seat, laughing & marveling until 'Boat's very Titanic-like end; this film's love-stories also revives sweet memories of your own first encounters back then.
In spite of all this, one cannot overlook that 'Boat's storyline is pretty average & fairly predictable. Those with a good memory will also have noticed that several pop songs date from 1967, or even later than that.
I wouldn't call 'The Boat that Rocked' a great film; nevertheless it entertains from beginning to end.