Paved with good intentions

Rating: 5/10 (24 September 2011)

I really, really, really wanted to like The Boat That Rocked more than I did. I love the subject matter, I love the time period, I love the soundtrack, I love the actors.
But in spite of all the good intentions, the film fails miserably. It tries to mimic the chaotic, over-the-top humor of British comedies from the 60's - which is quite apt - but it loses itself and its message on the way. The chaos doesn't serve this film well - in fact it renders it almost unwatchable, or it would have been if it weren't for the wonderful music and the terrific acting by Bill Nighy, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Rhys Darby and the rest, who clearly had a lot of fun making it.