‘Pirates’ Movie Review [SXSW 2022]: Reggie Yates Serves a Light Y2K Throwback
Pirates is the type of casual, accessible comedy that easily brings audiences into its vibe. Writer/director Reggie Yates tells a narrative, but the film is more about spending time with the characters during the late 1990s, which is a time period that rarely gets the silver screen treatment. Pirates doesn’t always hit its mark, but the core chemistry between the leads is undeniable.
‘Pirates’ throws it back to New Year’s Eve 1999
Yates’ screenplay brings audiences back to New Year’s Eve in 1999. Cappo (Elliot Edusah), Two Tonne (Jordan Peters), and Kid (Reda Elazouar) are enjoying their time together driving through the streets of London. The 18-year-old boys are still finding their footing in adulthood, but don’t realize the various ways that their friendship is about to change in the near future.
Pirates finds the three young men trying to discover a plan on how to spend their New Year’s Eve holiday. However, they can’t all agree about what they should do. They ultimately decide to pursue tickets for the best millennium party in the city. Their search takes them on a journey around town, as they simultaneously discover the direction that their friendship is taking.
Writer/director Reggie Yates explores the themes of friendship and home
The dance-filled opening credits set the stage for the remainder of the film. Yates designs his narrative around a countdown to midnight, as the day’s antics progressively mount. Cappo, Two Tonne, and Kid run into familiar faces throughout the day, but they aren’t all friendly. Pirates often finds its protagonists facing their mistakes along their journey to adulthood.
The plan in Pirates is to get into the massive Y2K party with the intention of having a great time and spending time with beautiful women. However, obtaining the tickets isn’t the only errand that they need to make. They go on a journey for new clothes, haircuts, and food to get ready for a huge night. Some of the best comedy in Pirates comes from the wild characters they run into along the way, particularly Princess (Shiloh Coke).
Cappo, Two Tonne, and Kid soon discover that their paths to the future aren’t all heading in the same direction. As a result, the cracks in their friendship begin to spiderweb into a much bigger issue. Cappo sees his future in college, while his friends have other plans for the trio. Pirates explores the meaning of home, depicting different perspectives between the three young men.
‘Pirates’ is light, airy entertainment
Yates explores the coming-of-age story from a familiar, albeit entertaining angle. However, he also made a holiday movie about New Year’s Eve, which there aren’t very many of. Pirates touches on a more personal meaning for a holiday that often is just a big party. However, Yates seeks to add a little bit of extra flavor to that.
Pirates thrives off the chemistry between its lead performers. Edusah, Peters, and Elazouar are on the same wavelength, breathing life into convincing characters. Their dynamic drives the film, often carrying the movie in its troublesome lulls.
There are countless “epic party night” movies out there with strikingly similar narratives and Pirates is one of the more tame entries in this genre. It spends its short runtime allowing the audience to hang out with its cast, prioritizing chemistry over the story. There aren’t many funny bits, but Pirates serves just fine as a piece of casual entertainment.
