Seen on: November 5, 2009

The players: Director: Richard Curtis, Writer: Richard Curtis, Cast: Philip Seymour Hoffman, Bill Nighy, Rhys Ifans, Nick Frost, Kenneth Branagh

Facts of interest: Richard Curtis also directed "Love, Actually."

The plot: A group of radio pirates broadcast rock 'n' roll from a boat in the North Atlantic while the British government tries to shut them down.

Our thoughts: Board Richard Curtis’ new comedy “Pirate Radio” (formerly “The Boat That Rocked”), and you’re in for more than two hours of great rock ‘n’ roll and fabulous acting performances. The film is by no means perfect, but I admit it’s definitely not as terrible as some critics out there made it out to be.

The story takes place during the 1960s, when a group of ruthless DJs on a boat in the North Atlantic broadcast 24 hours of glorious rock music and provocative radio shows. Even though they entertain millions of listeners every day, an aggravated British government soon embarks on a mission to shut them down for good.

But the radio pirates won’t listen, and instead, they vow to play their favorite tunes and enjoy their extravagant lifestyle on-board for as long as they can. This pretty much sets the tone for “Pirate Radio,” a harmless, mostly amusing comedy that boasts a phenomenal soundtrack but lacks energy in the story department.

Indeed, the main problem I have with Curtis’ new film is its superficial plot, which doesn’t really head anywhere. Most of the movie follows the pirate DJs as they have a blast broadcasting their favorite music, but a clear story line is non-existent. It’s too bad, really, because everything else in “Pirate Radio” really works.

The film also spends considerable time focusing on how the government (led by Kenneth Branagh) plans to bring an end to pirate radio, but none of these moments are particularly useful or intriguing. The action on the boat is much more enjoyable, even though most of it remains rather thin and less captivating that I expected.

Still, many jokes we get to hear work quite nicely, and the film certainly carries a vibrant rhythm and lively, eccentric characters that are hard to ignore. For instance, Philip Seymour Hoffman plays The Count, a famous DJ who enters a rivalry with Gavin (Rhys Ifans), his toughest competitor.

Meanwhile, Dave (Nick Frost) loves to hook up with visiting ladies, while Angus (Rhys Darby) is in search for true love. Bill Nighy plays the head of the gang, and Tom Sturridge is his nephew Carl, who comes on board to learn valuable life lessons and perhaps even lose his virginity. It’s certainly a fun team to observe.

Freaky quote: "I'm an American citizen and I don't give a hootenanny God damn about your nitpicking limey laws." - Philip Seymour Hoffman   

The final word: So yeah, the energy of the characters, the often dry, yet witty humor, and of course, the great music, all help turning “Pirate Radio” into an overall enjoyable British comedy. The film is not as charming or captivating as Curtis’ “Love Actually,” but it flows well enough for its two-hour running time. Decent movie indeed!

Article by Franck Tabouring