November 12, 2009
Pirate Radio (2009) Maybe if they’d stuffed one more rock cliché in there, this film could’ve shot the moon.  Unfortunately, as it is, you’re stuck on the high seas in a boat whose every single occupant is a prop: the innocent lad, the lesbian who cooks, the far-gone American.  There is quite literally no backstory or motivating force for any of them.  It’s a waste of a charismatic high-wattage cast (who may get you to laugh despite yourself), sprinkled with sexism-as-fuctioning-philosophy and tropes that were corny enough to ruin Almost Famous nearly a decade ago. The soundtrack is good but packed with easy choices.  January Jones makes a bafflingly stupid cameo.  Kenneth Branagh, as the villainous government prig, is introduced as your conventional evil college dean but spits some fascist jive that I frankly cannot believe a survivor of the Blitz would ever allow to exit their mouths.  By the time we get to what I’ll call the “Underwater Argument,” you’ll realize that this film isn’t even remotely interested in telling a story; it’s a series of stunts, and that’s supposed to be enough.

Pirate Radio (2009)

Maybe if they’d stuffed one more rock cliché in there, this film could’ve shot the moon.  Unfortunately, as it is, you’re stuck on the high seas in a boat whose every single occupant is a prop: the innocent lad, the lesbian who cooks, the far-gone American.  There is quite literally no backstory or motivating force for any of them.  It’s a waste of a charismatic high-wattage cast (who may get you to laugh despite yourself), sprinkled with sexism-as-fuctioning-philosophy and tropes that were corny enough to ruin Almost Famous nearly a decade ago. The soundtrack is good but packed with easy choices.  January Jones makes a bafflingly stupid cameo.  Kenneth Branagh, as the villainous government prig, is introduced as your conventional evil college dean but spits some fascist jive that I frankly cannot believe a survivor of the Blitz would ever allow to exit their mouths.  By the time we get to what I’ll call the “Underwater Argument,” you’ll realize that this film isn’t even remotely interested in telling a story; it’s a series of stunts, and that’s supposed to be enough.

12:20pm  |   URL: http://tmblr.co/Z7xoZyEPlbF
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  1. khealywu reblogged this from nicolemarietherese and added:
    Good point. Oh man, Karl’s so hot.
  2. nicolemarietherese reblogged this from khealywu and added:
    Laura Linney’s...movie who ends up totally unhappy and her brother-story doesn’t even make...
  3. twobitandrew reblogged this from khealywu and added:
    NO one likes American women. rubysneakers:
  4. thenotes posted this
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