Smooth and sweet music comedy (not a musical)

Rating: 8/10 (24 November 2009)

Pirate Radio is a fun and entertaining film bolstered by great music and a strong ensemble cast. In the sixties, the powers that be in Britain were so uptight that they did not even really broadcast rock/pop songs on their radio stations (less than an hour per day if that) even though it was in its heyday. Enter DJ radio "pirates" broadcasting rock from boats in international waters. The story mostly takes place on one of those rock radio boats. We're in a relatively small confined place but it doesn't feel claustrophobic as we often cut to wonderful little scenes of people from Great Britain from all walks of life, young and old, listening in and having a ball. Or we cut to efforts by Hitler look-a-like Kenneth Brannagh, a government official, trying everything to shut them down.
The story relies on the personalities of its characters for its laughs, as well as their friendships/rivalries and it works. At least for the male characters, the few females ones are underdeveloped and superficial. Most of the "heroes" are likable and good-natured. The film has an enthusiastic and high-spirited feel to it, making you smile most of the time and making you wish you could have hung out with those guys. It doesn't veer into excessive drug use, wild orgies or crazy partying. Nor does it go really dark, keeping its dry humor, even in the dramatic moments. Those dramatic moments could have been more effective but then they were probably defused by the good time I was having. The ending also felt a bit over long and convenient although it had some amusing bits. Pirate Radio is not really romantic despite the track record of the director (screenplay writer of Notting Hill and 4 Weddings and a Funeral), nor is it extremely laugh-out-loud funny but it's certainly entertaining and worth watching especially if you love music from the sixties. I'm not very knowledgeable about it but I still enjoyed myself.
Rating: 7.5 out of 10