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IMDbPro

The Boat That Rocked

  • 2009
  • R
  • 1h 57m
IMDb RATING
7.3/10
114K
YOUR RATING
Philip Seymour Hoffman, Nick Frost, Rhys Ifans, Bill Nighy, and Talulah Riley in The Boat That Rocked (2009)
A comedy about an illegal radio station in the North Sea in the 1960s
Play trailer2:20
2 Videos
99+ Photos
ComedyDramaMusic

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.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.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.

  • Director
    • Richard Curtis
  • Writer
    • Richard Curtis
  • Stars
    • Philip Seymour Hoffman
    • Bill Nighy
    • Nick Frost
  • See production, box office & company info
  • IMDb RATING
    7.3/10
    114K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Richard Curtis
    • Writer
      • Richard Curtis
    • Stars
      • Philip Seymour Hoffman
      • Bill Nighy
      • Nick Frost
    • 250User reviews
    • 123Critic reviews
    • 58Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 2 wins & 9 nominations

    Videos2

    Pirate Radio
    Trailer 2:20
    Watch Pirate Radio
    The Boat That Rocked
    Trailer 2:14
    Watch The Boat That Rocked

    Photos426

    Philip Seymour Hoffman in The Boat That Rocked (2009)
    Philip Seymour Hoffman, Nick Frost, and Rhys Darby in The Boat That Rocked (2009)
    Philip Seymour Hoffman, Tom Sturridge, Tom Wisdom, Rhys Darby, Talulah Riley, Tom Brooke, and Katherine Parkinson in The Boat That Rocked (2009)
    Richard Curtis in The Boat That Rocked (2009)
    Will Adamsdale, Ralph Brown, Rhys Ifans, Bill Nighy, Tom Wisdom, Tom Brooke, and Katherine Parkinson in The Boat That Rocked (2009)
    Kenneth Branagh, Jack Davenport, and Sinead Matthews in The Boat That Rocked (2009)
    January Jones, Richard Curtis, and Chris O'Dowd in The Boat That Rocked (2009)
    Emma Thompson and Bill Nighy in The Boat That Rocked (2009)
    Nick Frost and Gemma Arterton in The Boat That Rocked (2009)
    Will Adamsdale, Bill Nighy, Tom Sturridge, and Rhys Darby in The Boat That Rocked (2009)
    January Jones in The Boat That Rocked (2009)
    Philip Seymour Hoffman in The Boat That Rocked (2009)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Philip Seymour Hoffman
    Philip Seymour Hoffman
    • The Count
    Bill Nighy
    Bill Nighy
    • Quentin
    Nick Frost
    Nick Frost
    • Dave
    Michael Hadley
    • Mr. Roberts
    Charlie Rowe
    Charlie Rowe
    • James
    Lucy Fleming
    Lucy Fleming
    • Mrs. Roberts
    Tom Sturridge
    Tom Sturridge
    • Carl
    Ian Mercer
    Ian Mercer
    • Transfer Boatman
    Will Adamsdale
    Will Adamsdale
    • News John
    Tom Brooke
    Tom Brooke
    • Thick Kevin
    Rhys Darby
    Rhys Darby
    • Angus Nutsford
    Katherine Parkinson
    Katherine Parkinson
    • Felicity
    Chris O'Dowd
    Chris O'Dowd
    • Simon
    Ike Hamilton
    Ike Hamilton
    • Harold
    Stephen Moore
    Stephen Moore
    • Prime Minister
    Kenneth Branagh
    Kenneth Branagh
    • Sir Alistair Dormandy
    Michael Thomas
    • Sandford
    Bo Poraj
    Bo Poraj
    • Fredericks
    • Director
      • Richard Curtis
    • Writer
      • Richard Curtis
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      The scene in which Young Carl sulks about Marianne was originally supposed to be about eight seconds long and contain nothing but Tom Sturridge sitting on a bench and looking sad. Will Adamsdale and Ike Hamilton happened to be there, so executive producer, writer, and director Richard Curtis told them to have a go at what they would have done if their friend was in the same situation. He put on "So Long, Marianne" and they came up with everything that remains in the scene.
    • Goofs
      The characters frequently use vernacular that was not made popular until much later than 1966. Characters refer to protection as 'condoms,' which were much more commonly called 'Johnnies' in the 60s. Also, Young Carl is told that when dealing with Thick Kevin, it was important to "think outside the box," a term not coined in general use until the early 90s.
    • Quotes

      The Count: To all our listeners, this is what I have to say - God bless you all. And as for you bastards in charge, don't dream it's over. Years will come, years will go, and politicians will do fuck all to make the world a better place. But all over the world, young men and young women will always dream dreams and put those dreams into song. Nothing important dies tonight, just a few ugly guys on a crappy ship. The only sadness tonight is that, in future years, there'll be so many fantastic songs that it will not be our privilege to play. But, believe you me, they will still be written, they will still be sung and they will be the wonder of the world.

      Gavin Cavanagh: Hit it!

    • Crazy credits
      This film is dedicated to all who worked and broadcast on the pirate stations - all those wonderful years, all day and all of the night.
    • Alternate versions
      US distributor, Universal have chosen to re-title the film as "Pirate Radio" and release it under Focus Features in US territories. This new version will be edited for length by director Richard Curtis after some European reviewers cited its 135 minute running time as a factor in its diminished success.
    • Connections
      Featured in The 81st Annual Academy Awards (2009)
    • Soundtracks
      All Day and All of the Night
      Written by Ray Davies

      Performed by The Kinks

      Courtesy of Sanctuary Records Group Ltd.

      Under license from Universal Music Operations Ltd.

    User reviews250

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    8/10
    In a 60s party mood - no more.. but no less, either
    Although the film received its fair share of criticism for its historical inaccuracies and feeble plot, in my view, the film does exactly what its authors set out to achieve and - not only in terms of the soundtrack - rock it really does.

    If you're looking for an evening of pure escapist fun, feeling generally nostalgic and cool about the legacy of the 60s fashion and music, and would like to forget history for a while and go with the party mood, go see this film - you won't be let down and you'll get what you're looking for: an amazing soundtrack (although, as many didn't hesitate to point out, not entirely historically accurate), with the likes of The Rolling Stones, The Kinks, Dusty Springfield, The Hollies, Jimmy Hendrix, Buddy Holly, and many many more, with the charismatic Bill Nighy and a bunch of other not-quite-so-ordinary eccentric characters, more or less familiar to you, depending on how you enjoy British (and American) comedy (e.g. IT Crowd). Even if you don't know the actors, even if you're not into the music of the 60s, you've got pure feel-good fun thrown in to top it off for a great evening of the 60s Rock'n'Roll partying. And it's partying in the true 60s sense of the word.

    On the other hand, if you're looking for profound plot development, historical accuracy and consistency, or a true story of a real pirate radio station Caroline that inspired the story, or, in fact, would like to see a true depiction of the life in the UK in 1966, do NOT go see this film, because you might leave disappointed.

    It's as simple as that.

    So, a definite recommendation for cinema viewing because of the necessary volume that the speakers allow you there to enjoy the music to the fullest (and, let me say one more time what music it is!), but stay out if you're not in a party mood.

    I give it 8/10 for the feel-good, cool entertainment it brings and.... well, for the Rock'n'Roll.

    Have fun!
    helpful•163
    43
    • steinerelt
    • Aug 8, 2009

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    FAQ1

    • Is "The Boat That Rocked" based on a book?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • November 13, 2009 (United States)
    • Countries of origin
      • United Kingdom
      • France
      • Germany
      • United States
    • Languages
      • English
      • French
      • Spanish
    • Also known as
      • Pirate Radio
    • Filming locations
      • Gambardella's Cafe, Blackheath Standard, London, England, UK
    • Production companies
      • Universal Pictures
      • StudioCanal
      • Working Title Films
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $50,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $8,017,917
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $2,904,380
      • Nov 15, 2009
    • Gross worldwide
      • $36,348,784
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 57 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Digital
      • SDDS
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.35 : 1
      • 2.39 : 1

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