TALK TO ME - starring Don Cheadle (includes trailer)
May 25th 2010 10:35
Talk To Me
Tell ya boss that Petey Green, is on the scene!
Biographical films can be a tricky affair, occasionally they rise up into the arena of master pieces like Lenny or The People vs. Larry Flint, but for most of them they either glide through the subjects lives treating them more like a clinical and dull case study (Chaplin) or try to be too many things at once and lose their focus as a result. Talk To Me is a product of the latter. The biggest strength a biographical film can have is in it’s leading actor, who can be the difference between a resonant and memorable experience (Walk The Line, Milk, Sid and Nancy) and a forgettable one (Private Parts, Notorious). Fortunately, with the case of Don Cheadle (Boogie Nights, Out Of Sight, Iron Man 2), he carries a film that is flawed and brings it to life through his soulful, enlivening portrayal of late American disk jockey Petey Green who had quite a few things to say.
Petey Green (Don Cheadle) is a fast talking, hip to the streets ex-con, who wants one thing out of life, to be on the radio. Latching onto to radio personality Dewey Highes, played by Chiwetel Ejiofor (Red Belt, Children Of Men), and after much running up and down and changing of minds takes place, Green finally gets his shot on a morning show. Green is hired on the strength of his ability to appeal to the people, outrage them, make them laugh and most of all - speak the kind of truth that no one else dares to. This first act of the film is the strongest, filled with sharp talking, sassed up humour. There is a joy in watching Cheadle reveal his character to you, he may be a smart mouth who tempts peoples outrage but he doesn’t always have a smart answer to every single thing. Cheadle is such an intelligent actor, each choice he makes is infused with stunning perfection, never overstating anything. Aside from the few ticks in the structure of the first act, this is the film’s strongest and funniest section.
The second act of the film is where you realize that the humour was an attempt to get you invested in the story, the film decides to abandon it’s mischievous tone and delves into the more important political influence Green had in bringing the country together through hard times during the 60’s. The film is still solid and entertaining at this point but it is where it begins to falter. The first thing that began to bug me was how it goes into cruise control and it goes from a comedy about a man who is busy challenging everyone’s beliefs and moral objections, to a story where everything just lands in his lap. The political section of the film was quite interesting but unfortunately threatened to obscure the focus of the film that through out seemed to be executed in a fairly hit and miss fashion.
By an hour into Talk To Me, it conflicts seem to have been wrapped up, the poor pacing of the film is it’s biggest downfall, even though the film is fairly solid through out. What it lands up clinging to is quite tenuous but works none the less. Talk To Me would have been a far better film if it had been 90 mins as opposed to two hours. It has a lot to offer including Don Cheadle’s possibly best ever performance (or at the least, his best since Boogie Nights (although I havn’t yet seen Hotel Rwanda)). I wish I could say the same for the other actors, who never seem to rise beyond being simply believable into being fantastic. Martin Sheen (The Departed, Apocalypse Now, Badlands) as Dewey Hughes’ boss is good but not great and Chiwetel Ejiofor who gave a career making performance in Red Belt is solid but still a feint flicker compared to how much range and colour Don Cheadle boasts in the film.
Talk To Me is directed Kasi Lemmons, it’s her third directing effort and it’s a pretty decent one, however, it’s clearly Cheadle that makes Talk To Me a recommendable film, he elevates what could have been pedestrian, and it comes dangerously close to being this at times, to something very engaging, along with some very funny and sharp dialogue. The scenes are played with lots of energy during the first half and the film features a great soundtrack featuring the likes of Sly & The Family Stone, Al Green, James Brown and more. Talk To Me is no Walk The Line - or Lenny, but it succeeds admirably in what it sets out to do which is entertain you with the story of the original radio wave rebel who shook up the people and inspired them, in spite of all his other short comings.
By the way it looks like Don Cheadle is now set to star, produce and direct a biopic on legendary jazz man Miles Davis, this could be exciting. If they ever land up doing the biopic on Richard Pryor that Martin Scorsese was meant to do at one point, then Cheadle’s got my vote to play Richard Pryor in that too.
Here’s the 'Talk To Me' trailer.
| 86 |
| Vote |
subscribe to this blog
Comment by JohnDoe
Film & TV on DVD
I haven't seen this one but being a massive Cheadle follower it has been on the list for a while.
As an aside, for me the best radio orientated film is still Oliver Stone's Talk Radio.
Enjoyed reading the insight.
Comment by Matt Shea
Comment by ShaunK
Screen Adventure
Matt - I'm dying to see Hotel Rwanda as that is the film that I've heard alot of good things about regarding him.
As for Cheadle as an actor - I think he's one of the best out there, his restraint is his strongest strength plus I thought he was the best actor in Boogie Nights
Thanks guys