The Boat That Rocked

I see it as a patchwork of scenes, with a very fluctuating level of wit, rather than as an whole film. Curtis defines himself in the screenwriter column, but as a director with scissors in hand, he cruelly overreached. He doesn't even have time to introduce, let alone develop, this parade of exhibition exotics, and if it weren't for the cast, who carry the film mainly with their eccentricity and charisma, this would have been a failure on all fronts. If they make it into a three-hour S.E. Cut or a straight six-part series for TV, I’ll give it full stars. They way it is now, it’s a desperately boring two hours. (23/08/2009)

Curtis didn't disappoint me again, on the contrary, I have to say that this guy is becoming increasingly interesting. I've become quite used to smart and relaxed British humour, but his scripts overflow with it to such an extent that I'm always at a loss for words (which is quite strange given the length of the reviews). The Boat That Rocked is an amazing ride (cruise) with a great premise, brilliant actors, wonderful songs and of course a pile of condoms ready in case of an unexpected female visit. But I digress. It's by no means as big a hit as Love Actually and the long runtime was certainly not a plus in this case, but the group around the eternal rocker Nighy, the uptight Branagh (great role!) and, of course, the conductor Curtis delivered another great and unforgettable experience. At least that's how I feel at first. (13/01/2013)

The Movie That Rocked... Love, Actually put you in a good mood through love, Christmas and relationships. The Boat That Rocked did the same (equal quality, even funnier, but less touching for obvious reasons) through sex, drugs and rock’n’roll. It also applies that Curtis could objectively be faulted for a lot of other things. It’s just that, the same as with Love, Actually any objections are swept away in that “feel good" tsunami. And yes, the vast majority of characters are just like Billy Mack, but damn, that doesn’t matter one bit, does it? In addition to this, extensive and wonderful use is made of Morricone, along with the rest of the absolutely marvelously chosen rock hits of that era. P.S.: Toward the end we see significant curtailment (primarily of Branagh’s storyline), but I hope that the DVD will include extras with cut scenes like we got with Curtis’ previous offering - this movie deserves it. (27/05/2009)

After the for me quite annoying Love Actually, Richard Curtis moves considerably closer to my taste, but he’s still not all the way there. The Boat That Rocked is an easygoing film, you can switch yourself off, swim among the sounds of nice songs for 129 minutes and never think of it again, because the story has nothing to remember. In short, a nice snack with a perfect cast. 7/10 (11/08/2009)

I'd easily give eight stars if I could, because you rarely see such a splendid array of excellent actors and tasteful humor any time or place. The cast is undoubtedly probably the strongest argument for seeing Richard Curtis' second film at all – personally, I have to say that I was charmed by the undying passion for the cause, the "struggle between good and evil", and especially by Curtis' craftsmanship, which makes the viewer fall in love with the whole group in a very short time. The ending is an emotional mess, which certainly cannot be blamed on its creator. On the contrary, it feels extremely human and natural in such "un-American packaging". One of the most powerful films, with characters that really grow on you. (17/11/2012)