The Film That Rocked

There are some excellent music-themed movies out there and this latest effort from the ever reliable Working Title and Richard Curtis is another. Based on the 'adventures' of Radio Caroline in the 1960's this is great fun, with typically effortless performances from Bill Nighy, Nick Frost, Rhys Ifans and the masterful PSH. Kenneth Branagh (or kenNETH, braNAGH as the Good Doctor would have it) is a standout for me as the evil minister - Senator Palpatine meets Sir Humphrey if you will - and Jack Davenport reprises his Norrington roll in Pirates of the Caribbean as the self-serving lackey, only 300 years later. Also, our laconic and likable hero Carl (Tom Sturridge) is a ringer for Trent Reznor I think! (you decide).

Okay it doesn't scale the heights of 'This Is Spinal Tap' or 'The Commitments', but it's a good movie that recreates the feel of the free-loving 60's with affection (or so I hear, I was only born in '66). The soundtrack is every bit as good as you would expect of a film set in that time of musical revolution and written by Mr. Curtis. Whether you see it at the cinema or rent it it is definitely worth seeing. There are some very funny scenes, not a little excitement at the end, spotting the music is always entertaining and there is 'homage' to a certain Jimi Hendrix album cover...