3 Mile Limit

2014

105 mins

True story about the rise of Radio Hauraki in mid-'60s New Zealand. In an effort to break the government's state... More

True story about the rise of Radio Hauraki in mid-'60s New Zealand. In an effort to break the government's state broadcasting monopoly and bring rock n' roll to the young Kiwi masses, a group of rebel DJs set out on a boat named Tiri and broadcast from international waters. Stars Matt Whelan (The Most Fun You Can Have Dying) as a 23-year-old journalist/band manager responsible for leading the revolt.

Richard Davis (Whelan) works the local music beat for an Auckland newspaper, which sounds great but is more about covering recitals than his beloved rock n' roll. Desperate to get the songs of the Yellow Sprockets, the band he manages, on the airwaves, Davis relentlessly pitches their record to broadcasters and petitions the Broadcasting Minister for a license. When these efforts prove unsuccessful, he's forced to draw upon Kiwi ingenuity and a cunning semi-legal plan to provide the forbidden sounds of rock n' roll to Auckland listeners by sailing a radio-equipped ship out of territorial waters and beyond the reach of the law. This dangerous endeavour gives birth to Radio Hauraki but also brings Davis into direct confrontation with the New Zealand government and facing dangerous situations that will eventually prove deadly...

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Where to watch 3 Mile Limit

3 Mile Limit is available to stream in Australia now... More on Mood.

There is no screening information for this title.

3 Mile Limit | Ratings & Reviews

"The birth of Radio Hauraki nearly 50 years ago on a boat in the Hauraki Gulf is part of New Zealand broadcasting and music folklore, but with rock n’ roll having been successfully commodified by The Man since then, it’s easy to forget just how strongly the odds were stacked against this bunch of pirates getting on air."

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Flicks

"You end up with a film that neither honours history nor compellingly adapts it. It's a missed opportunity."

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New Zealand Herald

"A brilliant New Zealand film."

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Huffington Post

"A David vs. Goliath story... one of the more clever origin stories coming at ya from down under."

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Film Threat

"But without credible dialogue, better drawn characters, and a bit more confidence and swagger in the directors' chair, it was never going to be enough."

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