The Boat that Rocked

It is 1966, the age of sex, drugs and rock and roll. But in this era of British pop music, the BBC plays just two hours of rock and roll on the air each week. The response? Rebellion.

Having been expelled from school, Carl (Sturridge) is sent by his mother to visit his grandfather Quentin (Nighy) and get back on track. Though this is not your normal place for correcting a rebellious youth: a boat surfing the North Sea that airs the famous pirate rock and roll station, Radio Rock. Surrounded by the biggest and best DJs of British music - The Count (Hoffman), Dave (Frost) and king of the airwaves, Gavin (Ifans) - Carl is caught up in a whirlwind of music, revolution and most importantly women.

Sex, marriage and alpha male rivalry: anything can happen on the boat, and it usually does! In the process of trying to find himself, Carl ends up discovering much more than he bargained for!

Sticking two fingers up to the British government's strict laws on respectable radio, Radio Rock continues to play its music to millions of fans even when threatened with being taken off the air. Constantly foiling the plans of Minister Dormandy (Branagh) and his subordinate Twatt (Davenport) to permanently cancel them, the men on the boat prove that rock and roll will never die.

With its impressive cast, and soundtrack featuring music legends such as David Bowie and Jimi Hendrix, The Boat that Rocked is a must-see for all. There are plenty of laughs in this film and, whether or not you're a big fan of the rock and roll scene, you will undoubtedly leave smiling!

Sophie Carroll