In an astonishing slice of social history All Shook Up traces the rise of "the teenager" in the repressive 1950s of New Zealand, the spread of Brylcreem and rock'n'roll, bodgies and widgies, milkbar cowboys, the Cold War and Reds under the bed. Caught in a post-war grip of anti-communist fever, the government of the day sees the coming generation of restless and promiscuous teens as part of another godless conspiracy.