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This May Quietly Be One of the Better Movies of the Summer

By Dustin Rowles | Posted Under Trailers | Comments (34)

The-Boat-That-Rock-04-4.jpg

With blockbuster season ramping on Friday, I’d considered doing a Summer Movie Preview, but honestly, at this point, you’ve probably heard enough about the big six of 2009: Star Trek, Wolverine, Transformers 2, Terminator Salvation, G.I. Joe and Inglourious Basterds. Besides the Tarantino flick, I’m having trouble working up a lot of enthusiasm for the others — it’s the smaller ones I’m more excited about. Hurt Locker, The Hangover, Taking Woodstock and, of course, Public Enemies. (Maybe it would be worth the effort, just to highlight something besides the Bay vs. McG dick-measuring contest (H/T Twig).

The other movie that looks like a nice sleeper is The Boat that Rocked, from director Richard Curtis (Four Weddings and a Funeral). We featured the first trailer several weeks ago — it looked like a cute, fun movie with Nick Frost, Phillip Seymour Hoffman, and some of the Richard Curtis regulars. But this new trailer make it look even more impressive. Or maybe it’s just that everything is better with a Cat Stevens song. Is there a musician out there whose songs play better than Cat Stevens’ over a film? I barely even listen to his stuff outside of the context of movies, but there’s just something about his music that just fucking works in a movie (Dylan is the same way — not a huge fan, but put it in a music soundtrack, and I love it).

Watch the trailer and just try not to grin like an idiot.










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Comments

the boat that rocked opened here (Aus) a while ago, and its brilliant. Really exceeded my expectations. And as always, Bill Nighy is a God.

Posted by: nikky at April 30, 2009 10:35 AM

this kitty loves Cat Stevens even outside of a soundtrack

Posted by: anikitty at April 30, 2009 10:38 AM

Nick Frost? Philip Seymour Hoffman? Oh man I am so there.

Posted by: twig at April 30, 2009 10:43 AM

Aw, man-- I just got teary-eyed over a trailer! How I adore Richard Curtis. And the cast. And Cat Stevens. And that Beatles song they played at the end.

They got me. They totally got me and my movie-ticket-money. :-)

Posted by: ShinyKate at April 30, 2009 10:51 AM

Excuse me, I'm sorry, I couldnt get past the first paragraph, because when you mentioned the big summer movies, you somehow left out Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince. Le sigh. I know you guys get hard ons for the "bigger", "better", "smarter" movies, but come on; don't pretend like it won't be a force to reckon with. At LEAST with revenue. And hotness.

Posted by: Patty O'Green at April 30, 2009 10:52 AM

This looks BRILLIANT!!!

Posted by: dammitjanet at April 30, 2009 10:53 AM

This is based on the real Radio Caroline which was literally a beacon of good music for those of us stuck in a place where stodgy old men dictated what went out on the legal radio stations. I'll see it for the nostalgia alone.

Posted by: PaddyDog at April 30, 2009 10:53 AM

Came out over in the UK a month or so ago and it is fucking great. Flawed but great... Excellent soundtrack, excellent cast (wow... Nighy, Branagh and Seymour Hoffman) and as always phenemonal writing from Curtis.

It's flawed like all his work but its definitely rewatchable and will probably in hidsight go like Love Actually and be derided for being unrealistic and lacking but now seems to have been one of the best rom-coms of the noughties.

I definitely found it strange the criticisms of the film of being unrealistic and not an accurate reflection of the pirate radio movement.
Curtis has made his whole career on excellent but unrealistic protrayals of British life (vicar of dibley, notting hill etc) and revisionist history (Black Adder). I hope for one thing to never see a realistic Richard Curtis film I just want more of his brilliant writing.

Posted by: jim of the lower case at April 30, 2009 10:54 AM

You had me at Murray.

Posted by: AM at April 30, 2009 10:56 AM

Sorry, I meant The Turtles song at the end. How embarrassing...

*shuffles off to sad Charlie Brown piano music*

Posted by: ShinyKate at April 30, 2009 10:59 AM

I was going to see this. Then it came out and I sort of didn't get around to it because I was thinking 'Looks okay...bit fo fun but what ever'
That trailer shows its actually got a lot more heart than the other trailers indicated so now I will be seeing it for certain.

And continuing my plot to make Bill Nighy my husband.

Posted by: Nadine at April 30, 2009 11:22 AM

Or maybe it’s just that everything is better with a Cat Stevens song.

You gonna tell me you like James Taylor too?

Damn, I think you already did.

I did like "Here Comes My Baby" in "Rushmore". He didn't have a beard, and I can hear that in the song. But all good things...eh?

Posted by: Jay at April 30, 2009 11:35 AM

Is that Rhys Ifans in there too? Anyone think he looks weird now that he's gotten his teeth fixed?

Posted by: mswas at April 30, 2009 11:37 AM

This opened in the UK a few weeks ago and my parents ( in their mid/late fifties ) LOVED it. Take from that what you will. Not sure how it will play to a younger crowd who have no emotional/nostalgic connection to the period that the film is set in but if it is a good well written film then that shouldn't matter I suppose.

Posted by: Alex the not so odd at April 30, 2009 11:39 AM

Bill Nighy needs to get his ass into a Harry Potter movie. I don't care if he's just dressed up as the title cards, he needs to be there!

Posted by: Doctor Controversy at April 30, 2009 12:43 PM

I think it's Cat.

Posted by: Cindy at April 30, 2009 12:57 PM

This summer is going to be damn weak movie wise, isn't it? GI Joe and Wolverine are 2 of the most anticipated movies? By whom? I know they will make 400 kajillion dollars but does the general public not think they are going to be fetid piles of monkey shit, ESPECIALLY Wolverine? I'm tired of taking it up the ass from FOX, X3 gives them a lifetime ban on superhero flicks until they change management and kick Rothman the fuck out.

I am most looking forward to Half Blood Prince. The new trailer is jaw dropping and my first thought was "I want that on Blu Ray NOW!"

Posted by: TylerDFC at April 30, 2009 1:18 PM

Yay! They had me at The Kinks! *happy dance*

Posted by: Chickaboom at April 30, 2009 1:18 PM

Bill Nighy needs to get his ass into a Harry Potter movie. I don't care if he's just dressed up as the title cards, he needs to be there!

Well he is Rufus Scrimgeour. I wanna say he knows David Yates and said "get me a job in there!" So he wants in too.

Posted by: Jay at April 30, 2009 2:10 PM

Hey now, USA Today said Wolverine is "Sharply acted!"

So who's got egg on their face now?

Posted by: Jay at April 30, 2009 2:12 PM

Wolverine is going to make around $85 million this weekend and I've heard it's terrible: http://www.newsy.com/videos/wolverine_declawed/ still people see blockbusters. I know I will. I can't wait for the big six, but I'm especially excited about Transformers. And @Jay, I've heard that the Liev and Hugh's acting is the only thing that saves Origins.

Posted by: gantrants at April 30, 2009 3:25 PM

Nadine, I'm with you on the Nighy. I don't know what it is about that man, but he just oooooozes sex.

Posted by: lizzieborden at April 30, 2009 3:30 PM

Anything that uses the turtles in its trailer is good enough for me.

Posted by: ElinorGee at April 30, 2009 4:03 PM

No, I wasn't kidding. "Sharply acted".

Mon Dieu.

Short but megawatt review, that I do not believe.

Posted by: Jay at April 30, 2009 4:57 PM

We basically just saw the whole movie in the trailer.

Posted by: Trini at April 30, 2009 5:04 PM

I'd like to think I'd love Harold & Maude without the Cat but we'll never know, will we?

Posted by: Kelly at April 30, 2009 6:18 PM

That looks SO F***ING GOOD!!!! Any movie with Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Nick Frost, Bill Nighy, Kenneth Branagh, Rhys Darby, AND Rhys Ifans is automatically my front-runner for Best Picture. You heard me.

Posted by: ChristianH at April 30, 2009 6:50 PM

Sorry but I saw it and it's arse. Total arse.

Could've been deadly but instead, arse.

Posted by: captainfireypants at April 30, 2009 6:57 PM

It's wonderful. I giggled like a small child on helium all the way through and wanted to be friends with all the characters because I am deluded that way. Maybe more than friends with Midnight Mark.

I now want people to either stop making films about the sixties or invent a time machine because it looks like fun and I wasn't there.

And as for how it will play to a younger crowd, I'm 24 and saw it 4 times inside of a fortnight. Read into that what you will!

Posted by: Gayle at April 30, 2009 8:00 PM

And Tom Sturridge too! ("Who the fuck is that?" yourself)

Posted by: wojtek at April 30, 2009 8:24 PM

Did you seriously love The Boat That Rocked? I was sure it'll get slaughtered on this site because it's as humourless as Love, Actually. The only emotion it evoked in me was "meh", and that isn't really an emotion.

Posted by: AbFab at May 1, 2009 11:49 AM

haha... I can't stop laughing. The bible bashing americans need to be protected. "Bottom bashing fornicators" was turned to "bottom bashing agitators"

Why don't you shoot your censors? Seriously, can someone do it. I bet this was the same genius who cgid out guns in the Iniana Jones and The Kingdom of the Crystal Skulls trailer. In a country where owning guns is legal.

The Boat That Rocked is awesome. It opened in Malta a couple weeks ago and it's a great laugh. It's worth your money and has a wonderful soundtrack.

Posted by: barf at May 1, 2009 1:50 PM

Abfab, please don't dis Love Actually. It's a wonderful movie and can easily get you all teary eyed. It's cheesy but absolutely cute.

People who make trailers need to stop giving away too much of the movie. This one's a case in point. I'm glad I watched the movie before ever having watched any trailers for it. It does give away way too much. As I have already said though, the movie is awesome.

Posted by: barf at May 1, 2009 1:55 PM

Oh, sorry, didn't mean to diss it, just meant to say it's shite.

Posted by: AbFab at May 2, 2009 5:07 AM