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Monday, November 16, 2009

Pirate Radio Movie Review


Pirate Radio
Grade: B

We saw Pirate Radio on Sunday afternoon and really enjoyed it.  It's nothing profound, but a nice story, with quirky characters and a killer soundtrack.

This is the story of a ship based radio station broadcasting off the coast of England in the late 60's, bringing rock and roll to the people of Britian.  The ship is inhabited by an eclectic crew of DJs including Phillip Seymour Hoffman as the lone American DJ, Rhys Ifans as Gavin (back from his "drug tour of American") and Bill Nighy as Quentin, the rascal in charge of these rogues of the sea. The movie opens with Quentin's young godson Carl, joining the crew as he was just expelled from school and his mother clearly, doesn't know what to do with him.

The movie is directed and written by Richard Curtis, the writer behind Love Actually and Bridget Jones Diary, so how could I not like this movie.  You will recognize the video collage technique that was used at the end of Love Actually sprinkled about in Pirate Radio. 

Can I tell you my favorite part about these Brit movies...it is the figuring out of who's who in real life and where I've seen them before.  Bill Nighy was of course in Love Acutally, but also there is Jack Davenport as Twatt...he played Commader Norrington in Pirates of the Caribbean and Rhys Ifans was brilliant as Spike in Notting Hill.  Also enjoyed the combination of Kenneth Branagh and Emma Thomspon (my dear Emma).  Granted they were never on camera together, but it's always interesting when ex's are in movies together. (Harry Potter as well.)

The movie is great fun...but with it's R rating, not for the whole family.  I think the soundtrack would be a great Christmas present to your favorite Rock and Roller.

4 comments:

  1. Lindalou, what are you doing in MI? Get yourself to Hollywood and have someone pay you to reivew movies. You're good at it. You might even be invited to walk the red carpet and then you could blog about what you're going to wear. The possibilities are endless. I'm a dud in the movie department so I have nothing to add to what you've said about Pirate Radio.

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  2. Donna - Don't be so hard on yourself. Remember, I had those 5 whole film classes. Ha

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  3. Since you are the resident movie review specialist...Can I request a review? Could you review the new twilight movie coming out?
    (new Moon) My daughters are practically salivating at the thought of that movie. Thanks
    I love brit movies too. I love their posh accents. :)
    Rosey

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  4. Rosey, I'm not into the Twilight series, but Krissy and Caity are. I know Cait will be seeing the movie. Somehow, we'll do our best to review.

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