50
Seven months after its theatrical release in the U.K., and two months after its DVD debut there, Pirate Radio washes ashore with most of its better bits excised.
What are people saying?
What are critics saying?
50
Picture generally stays afloat on the strength of its characters but sometimes threatens to sink under its overlong running time and vignettish structure.
75
ReelViews by James Berardinelli
The result, although uneven, is generally enjoyable, especially for those who attend with the right mindset. Character and narrative are secondary concerns for a movie primarily driven to provide a Valentine to '60s rock-and-roll.
63
St. Louis Post-Dispatch by Joe Williams
It's a calculated crowd-pleaser that skims over the surface of the era like a cruise-ship production of "American Graffiti."
60
Giggles, not belly laughs, come frequently, and it’ll help if viewers love U.K. comics.
67
Entertainment Weekly by Lisa Schwarzbaum
Pirate Radio is, in the end, about as rock-revolutionary as a tea break. But the choppy production floats on a great soundtrack (the real pirates are the Rolling Stones) and is buoyed by an inviting cast.
30
Austin Chronicle by Marjorie Baumgarten
Despite a title change from "The Boat That Rocked" to Pirate Radio, this British import exudes about as much outlaw swagger as Tom DeLay in a dance competition.
60
The Hollywood Reporter by Ray Bennett
The real pirate radio ships, whose days ended in 1967, wound up being towed away for salvage but the film avoids that fate -- like the best rock songs -- with a rousing finish and a pleasing climax.
75
Chicago Sun-Times by Roger Ebert
Richard Curtis is good at handling large casts, establishing all the characters and keeping them alive.