With an explosive group of talent in "Pirate Radio," the film is an ambitious effort by director Richard Curtis.
The film centers around a 24/7 party-like atmosphere on the pirate ship Radio Rock. Centered around sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll, the cast of radio disk jockeys have the times of their lives delivering music to the British public when rock is all but completely banished from the airwaves. The British Broadcasting Corporation favors news and light music, outlawing a majority of rock music - giving it sexual and negative connotations.
The cast, consisting of "Almost Famous'" famed Philip Seymour Hoffman, Bill Nighy, Rhys Ifans, Kenneth Branagh and Nick Frost among other top players, showcases a unique comedic talent that mimics dry British humor at its finest. The radio DJs, none of which are notably good looking, become national celebrities in the homes of millions. And although docked at sea, the movie focuses on the interactions the motley crew has with the many visitors that stop by their floating home - specifically attractive women, on the first Saturday of every month.
The main plot of the film surrounds Carl, played by Tom Surridge, who is the godson of Radio Rock's station owner Quentin (Bill Nighy). The young boy is impressionable and without knowledge of his true father, his mother decides the time on the ship would be a good opportunity for him to learn and grow. The film pokes fun at his innocence - and does it in a way that mimicks the awkward sexual interactions of 1990s "The Wonder Years."
But the most notable thing about "Pirate Radio" is definitely the soundtrack. Scene after scene, different classics drench the film from The Beach Boys' "Wouldn't It Be Nice" to The Who's "I Can See For Miles" and "My Generation" and The Kinks' "All Day and All The Night." And in true "Across the Universe" form, Curtis manages to name some of the women after famed rock 'n' roll tunes like Leonard Cohen's "So Long Marianne," and the Turtles' "Elenore."
For the classic rock enthusiast, make sure to stick around for the end credits, featuring an array of album covers reminiscent of rock at its earliest stages.
An intricate web of music montages and drinking, "Pirate Radio" is the perfect movie for a weekend afternoon with friends. Rated R for some sexual scenes, brief nudity and profound language use, the film is bound to be a favorite of college-age students and rock fanatics.
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