Music’s great, but ‘Pirate’ needs more

I’ve heard some interesting reactions, mostly positive, to Richard Curtis’ film “Pirate Radio.” This confuses me because I’m not that high on the film.

Here’s an example: My grad-school pal, Tom Knappenberger, sent me an e-amil after reading Portland Oregonian critic Shawn Levy’s review of the film . Here is what Tom said:

“Saw ‘Pirate Radio’ last night and absolutely loved it! This despite one of the worst reviews I’ve ever seen from the Oregonian’s Shawn Levy. I posted the following at his review site, which pretty much sums up my thoughts. The music is freaking great and you can’t help but love the characters and what they’re about. A happy film that left me humming ‘I can see for miles’ for hours.

“Gotta see this one again!”

Here’s the note that Tom sent to Levy:

“I’ve never commented on your reviews before because, well, opinions are just that. Thank god I didn’t listen to your over-the-top histronics damning ‘Pirate Radio.’ What a great movie! Not Oscar material, but like rock ‘n roll itself, unpredictable, irreverent, joyful and funny. A great time - laughed out loud throughout.

“Anyone who grew up with ‘60s music couldn’t help but love this movie - what a soundtrack !

“I think you missed the whole point or wanted too much - like dissing the Stones cuz they ain’t Stravinsky. Lighten up while you still can Shawn. This is One Fun Movie!”

Here’s that first line of Levy’s: “Witless, tasteless, toothless, pointless, garish, repetitive, obvious, and painfully dull, ‘Pirate Radio’ is that exceedingly rare film that never, but never puts a foot right. Its writer-director, Richard Curtis (‘Love, Actually’), apparently chopped 20 minutes out of the original version to bring to U.S. audiences the two hours of tedious formlessness that now constitute the awful thing.  But if the film only ran for 20 minutes in total it would wear out its welcome long before that time passed.”

And, finally, here is what I wrote to Tom:

“Tom: I think Levy’s too hard, but I also think you’re being too easy.

“Sure, I liked the music. But I would also have liked a plot, something besides concept to tie the various characters together.

“I would also have liked some sort of explanation about why the U.K. stations at the time couldn’t, or wouldn’t, play rock music other than the simplistic portrayal that Kenneth Branagh offers of the stereotypical conservative government type.

“One thing in particular that threw me: the girl who (makes love to) the fat guy instead of our young protagonist. What was up with that? I’m more or less that young guy’s contemporary, and my life was never that free-spirited and forgiving.

“Still, loved the music. I’m definitely gonna score the soundtrack.”

Then last night at a birthday party, somebody else recommended the film to me. Seems “Pirate Radio” is striking a chord, so to speak, with some viewers. I just don’t happen to be one of them.

Below : The trailer for “Pirate Radio.”