Governments loathe people being free

I just saw an absolutely delightful film. Pirate Radio is everything I wanted it to be. Director Richard Curtis, who created a couple of my favorite British romantic comedies--Love, Actually; Four Weddings and a Funeral; and Notting Hill (and I rarely even like romantic comedies)--goes in a new direction ere. Pirate Radio tells the story of a pirate radio station based on a ship off the coast of England in 1966. Official British radio did not allow rock music to be broadcast, so pirate stations (on ships) were what the British public listened to. This movie tells the story of a group of guys who ran Radio Rock.

Philip Seymour Hoffman is outstanding as usual, playing the Count, the station's most popular DJ. Bill Nighy is equally outstanding as the ship/station's owner. And then the rest of the cast all do a marvelous job, especially Tom Sturridge as young Carl, whose mother has sent him to the ship (for reasons that I will not divulge), and Rhys Ifans, who plays the world's cockiest DJ.

Pirate Radio is very,very funny. I laughed for most of the film. But it is also touching and warm. And the soundtrack is amazing: The Who, The Kinks, The Rolling Stones, The Turtles, The Hollies, The Beach Boys, Cat Stevens, Otis Redding,Dusty Springfield. It is a toe-tapping extravaganza. I danced in my seat a few times.

Pirate Radio is a feel-great film. The final act of the film was very unexpected, but it all comes together wonderfully. Every fan of rock music will love this movie.