14. The Boat That Rocked
Back in 2009, acclaimed comedy writer and director, Richard Curtis, amassed a stellar cast spearheaded by the likes of Bill Nighy, Kenneth Branagh, and the late, great Philip Seymour Hoffman, to set sail on the jovial journey that is The Boat That Rocked. The majority of the film’s duration is spent on-board what, at a glance, would merely appear to be a traditional-style fishing vessel, anchored in the North Sea. However, it is actually home to ‘Radio Rock’ – a fictional representation of the many pirate radio stations that existed in the 60s, endeavouring to deliver the delights of the rock and pop music that had been shunned by the BBC. With that in mind, it of course lends the film to have a soundtrack packed full of complete and utter classics. Bowie, Hendrix, The Who and The Kinks, they’re all there in abundance among so many others.
It could even be argued to an extent, that the array of musical masterpieces on show here may well be reason enough on its own, to warrant a watch this summer. The reason for this being that, the narrative itself leaves somewhat to be desired for those that expect more that simply a laughter-laden romp of frequently bizarre proportions, although there are definite undertones of self-discovery, envy, redemption and courage – though for the most part, in the name of dramatic irony. Some may consider it a humbly heartfelt coming-of-age flick, while for others it’ll provide a more than welcome dose of nostalgia, but one thing’s for sure: its bloody good fun.
Words by Alex Graham