Movie Review: Radio

Stars: 5 out of 5
Pros: Well told story brought to life by incredible acting.

Cons: None

The Bottom Line:

Don't just watch this film

Savor it; think about it

Let it challenge you

"It's Never a Mistake to Care for Someone."

I often avoid inspiring "based on a true story" movies.  It's not that I don't find them inspiring.  I just get tired of the predictable story lines.  This is especially true when a movie involves sports.  Back when Radio was in the theaters, my mom raved and raved about it, so much that I decided I had to see it.  I was touched and moved.  I recently rewatched it, and felt the exact same way.

It's fall of 1976 in South Carolina, and Coach Harold Jones (Ed Harris) is getting ready for what should be a winning season for his high school football team.  But he begins to notice a young man (Cuba Gooding Jr.) hanging around the field during practice.  And when several of his players start harassing this young man, Coach Jones intervenes and even finds a place for him on the coaching staff.

Little by little, Coach Jones and the young man, dubbed "Radio" because of his fascination with them, begin to form a friendship.  And Radio goes from someone who never talks to someone who won't stop talking.

But it is obvious from the outset that Radio has some kind of mental handicap (I'd bet it is autism, although we are never told what it is.)  And that fact doesn't sit well with many in town.  Some feel that Coach should be putting all his focus into coaching the team.  Some pressure Principal Daniels (Alfre Woodard) to force Radio off the school grounds, especially when he starts attending classes every day.  Can Coach Jones and Radio overcome the prejudices of the rest of the town?

The one thing that never comes up in this film is racism.  While prejudice is clearly an important theme of the story, it is all about Radio's abilities and not at all about his skin color.  This focus really allows us to get to the heart of things.

The story takes place over the course of one school year.  I have a feeling that things are compressed for dramatic effect, but I don't know for sure.

The important thing is how moving the story is.  And if you are at all like me, you'll want to have some tissue handy for parts of it.  It really is amazing how quickly you are pulled into the story.  The writing is sharp, making the most use of every moment.  While some of the characters are a bit one dimensional and a couple of plot points seem to get dropped, these are truly minor issues in the overall story.

The actors take a great script and simply knock it out of the park.  How Cuba Gooding Jr. could be overlooked at awards time for his amazing performance as Radio is simply beyond me.  I bought every second he was on screen.  Equally great is Ed Harris.  His Coach Jones is a man of conviction and passion whose heart is changed over the course of the film.  Alfre Woodard makes the principal, one of the chief antagonists at times, a character we completely understand.  Even if she does something we don't like, we can see she is trying to do the right thing while balancing all sides of the issue.  Debra Winger co-stars as Harold's wife Linda and brings a real humanity to the part.  The rest of the cast is equally as great.  Even the teens bring their best.  There truly isn't a weak moment in the film.

Every time I see a film like this, it makes me wonder how to close to real life they got things.  Obviously, I don't know for sure here, but I will say seeing the cameo of the real Coach Jones and Radio at the end was especially moving.

I think that's the thing that gets me the most about this film.  Watching the obvious affection the two still have for each other, I think about the chance encounters in my own life.  Am I overlooking someone who would greatly impact my life just because they are different?  It's a very convicting thought that makes me really pay attention to the people around me.

Radio does not fall into the escapist movies I love to watch so much.  I won't call it life changing, but it certainly makes me stop and examine my own life.  And that's the sign of a movie that needs to be watched.