George Lucas’ American Graffiti may not have had the cross-cultural impact of Star Wars, but its structure––the endearingly aimless lives and loves of teenage protagonists over the course of a single night––continues to influence filmmakers around the world. One such example is the new film by Reggie Yates, a writer, director, actor, and TV presenter. His latest, Pirates, is most certainly a winner. Making its international premiere at South by Southwest 2022, the film is a very funny, often sweet, and well-acted trip to London on New Year’s Eve 1999.
This was, of course, the infamous “Y2K” New Year’s. And though there isn’t much talk of technological havoc at midnight, an appropriately end-of-century vibe runs throughout. Where Graffiti had the specter of Vietnam, Pirates is haunted more by a future of unyielding connectivity. Yates smartly drops in some humorous references––a character’s lack of awareness of Google, references to Tamagotchi, talk of FIFA for PlayStation––but he also subtly shows how different the world was two decades ago. The Internet is referenced, but there’s no social media. No Uber. No iPhones. And are you looking for tickets? Head to a record store. There is, then, a certain charm in the milieu of this coming-of-age time capsule.
After an adorably energetic After Yang-esque dance intro we’re introduced to three 18-year-olds with a pirate radio station and dreams of crashing the hottest pre-millennium party in the city. Yet even as they strive for success, friends are starting to drift apart. Cappo (Elliot Edusah) recently began attending university, and as Pirates opens he’s preparing to tell his friends that his time as their manager is coming to a close. Later in the film he’s told “You’re only our manager because you can’t MC or DJ” by Two Tonne (Jordan Peters), the member of the trio most focused on the success of the station. Lastly is Kidda (Reda Elzaouar), best described as the comic relief of the bunch.
They are a charming and likable trio, thanks to Yates’ writing but also from the work of Edusah, Peters, and Elzaouar. Peters, in particular, gives a star-making performance as Two Tonne, who wrestles with his desire for fame as well as his urge to charm Sophie (Kassius Nelson), a girl who just reappeared in his life. Friendships will be tested as they work towards the goal of access to the “Twice as Nice Y2K Anthems” party.
The sense of place developed by Yates is noteworthy. As the trio traverse London––searching for tickets, finding high-end clothes, attempting to get haircuts, all in an old, yellow Peugeot––the audience begins to grasp the feeling that their London is simultaneously open-ended and closed off. There are infinite possibilities but nearly as many barriers. Only Cappo seems to have a clear path out of this enjoyable but small-scale existence. As he puts it to Two Tonne near the start of the film, and again at its ending, “We’re not stuck here, T. We’re from here.”
Pirates‘ soundtrack is an adrenalized compilation of late-90s garage classics, and even when the script feels rote, the music and performances push things forward with real energy. While there is some nostalgia for a period of incredible music, camaraderie, and a less tech-focused lifestyle, Pirates is also appropriately aware of the importance of money and connections in making it on the club scene. Try as they might, it’s hard not to feel that Two Tonne and Kidda are unlikely to succeed, especially without Cappo’s guidance. Even so, the actors who play the trio are very likely to succeed. Pirates is a fine film, and for Peters, Edusah, Elazour, and director Yates, it is undoubtedly a preview of even greater successes to come.
Pirates screened at SXSW 2022.