'Pirate Radio' (R)(out of four)

Usually movies that have limited sets tend to become staid and repetitive, but Richard Curtis's "Pirate Radio," set mostly aboard a rogue rock 'n' roll ship, never loses steam.

Like a sing-along of some of the best rock 'n' roll songs ever made (there are sixty cuts, to be exact), the British film takes place in the mid-'60s when the British Broadcasting Corporation would not play pop music.

In this fictional telling, based on an iota of truth, Kenneth Branagh plays government minister Sir Alistair Dormandy who is determined to shut down Radio Rock. The amateur radio station is run from a ship anchored off shore, making it untouchable by the government.

Dormandy believes the ship, and rock music for that matter, is a "sewer of low morals." He's trying to run Captain Quentin (a very lean Bill Nighy) and his merry band of mischief makers out of the seas and off the airwaves.

The lives of these rock devotees aboard the ship are the meat and potatoes of the film: The Count (Philip Seymour Hoffman), a popular American icon who is the resident Yank, Smooth Bob (Ralph Brown), the hippie overnight guy who has been on the ship seven months without anyone ever seeing him until one day they meet at breakfast; Felicity (Katherine Parkinson), the only woman allowed on the ship because she is a lesbian and is the ship's cook; Thick Kevin who bunks with newcomer Carl (Tom Sturridge) and Mark (Tom Wisdom), who hardly utters a word.

Arriving on the scene to stir up trouble is broadcasting legend Gavin Cavanaugh (Ryhs Ifans), who threatens The Count's throne and creates tension.

Every Saturday, boatloads of groupies arrive to "party" with the mates. The ensemble story doesn't touch much on anyone's life pre-tour of duty, except for Carl whose mother, played in a brief scene by the wonderful Emma Thompson, has sent him to stay with his godfather, Quentin, after he is tossed out of school. This is a "present moment" story of deejays, and the rock 'n' roll life. Like the rock bands whose music they play, the Rolling Stones, Kinks and The Who, the animal house inhabitants of the ship live the frat boy life.

Fish-out-of-water Carl's experiences, as well as other events such as an onboard marriage, and day-to-day occurrences create a reality show soap opera for radio fans that not only yearn for the freedom of the music the Radio Rockers play, but live vicariously through their rock 'n' roll lifestyle.

Under the able direction of Curtis, the cast comes alive onboard the ship, and then there's that soundtrack, which co-exists on the same level as the action. When Carl loses the girl of his dreams named Marianne, Leonard Cohen's "So Long Marianne" creates a crescendo while two fellow nerds help him drown his sorrows in cookies and tea.

There isn't much depth to be found in this film that celebrates pop culture and those determined to give the people of life of freedom through music despite a dastardly Big Brother. But "Pirate Radio" certainly delivers what one would expect: sex, drugs and of course, rock 'n' roll.