Talk you *###*&@@#### [Don Cheadle & Co. Bring the Acting Fire]
Written: Dec 30 '07 (Updated Dec 30 '07)
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Product Rating:
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| Bang For The Buck |
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Pros: Great acting by Don Cheadle, Chietewel Ejiofor, and Taraji Henson, and Martin Sheen
Cons: Screenplay creates one dimensional characters, that do not have depth beyond their portrayed 'roles'
The Bottom Line: This is a worthwhile movie with excellent acting, which exposes you to a portion of history from a different perspective. The characters are somewhat one dimensional.
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| tiger62x's Full Review: Talk to Me |
O.k. This is actually really a B-movie, that wins us all over on the strength of acting by Don Cheadle as Petey Greene, Chiwetel Ejiofor as Dewey Hughes, and Taraji Henson as Vernel Watson with a earth shaking strut to go with her out of this world afro and care free spirit.
I have to admit I was originally a little skeptical about this one. In particular I was concerned about Don Cheadle, because I did not want to see the 21 century version of Blaxploitation, which includes someone throwing up the red/black and green with a black power fist, funky '60s-early '70s music, bell bottoms, and oversized afros like gang signs that signal they understand the struggle, so they can use the N word with impunity. I had just watched the PBS special on Staxx record company, home of Booker T & the MG's, Otis Redding, and Isac Hayes (Black Moses) which did have some impact in the racial struggle, and much of their history spanned around the same years in history. While I think the movie 'Talk to Me' had some elements of the blax genre, (a percentage of all the stereotypes), it is not enough to take away measurably from enjoying the movie.
Petey Greene was a convict, "discovered" by Dewey Hughes, an African American, who talked proper and was in the radio business. Apparently Hughes always wanted to be in public media business (Radio and TV), and had a vision of becoming more than any African American had ever been in that business. Young Dewey Hughes was in prison to visit his brother, and Petey happened to have finegled his own prison radio station. Understanding his gift of gab, Greene set out to get a job (or more like exposure) from the very straight laced Hughes, who they all knew worked at the radio station. Once he was let out of prison he looked up Hughes, and was able to get an opportunity at the radio station to broadcast, which led him to having his own show.
The show catipulted him into stardom, and Hughes along with him. The story is an examination of their relationship, and how each man almost needed each other to succeed. Also it is the story of 'A Black Man' representing on his own show and telling his own story in his own voice at a time in history and in 'the South', where this was never done before.
That's the essence of what is good, what is not so good is that we only get the most superficial look at Greene. It is clear he must have been a complicated individual, but he is scarcely shown doing any more than the pimp walk, and unapollogetically throwing around the N word, and talking about how he tells it like it is. Of course we are supposed to understand that it's OK for him to use the N word, because he's from the streets. We see how Dewey Hughes obviously admires him, and all the people around him appear to look up to him as if he's some magical sen-sei. It is also apparent that he is a drunkard, and former drug addict. What we do not see is an introspective Greene, we like him, but we get the sense that that's not all there was to him. So we get a one dimensional Greene. Sort of the MTV Video version.
Amazingly this is supposed to be around the time of 1966 - 1970 below the Mason Dixie line, and the Anglosized Americans in this movie, all seem to take all of this in stride (bringing in an exconvict who uses every obscenity in regular conversation, along with liberal use of the N word). Martin Sheen treats his subordinate, the only black man in the group, like a complete equal, even though he owns the Radio station. After being completely bamboozled by Petey Greene, ex-convict, he almost laughs it off. I find that difficult to believe, because while I'll not admit my age, I do remember my parents discussing many issues of the day, frankly in some circles there are still issues with black people in certain positions. I remember my parents crying at the murder of Dr. King.
This movie does deal with that aspect of history very well. Cheadle walks the delicate line in these scenes. I would have liked to have seen the screen play explore more of this. That of a complicated individual, feeling many things, but understanding that acting on the negative will solve nothing. Ejiofor, a British actor of Nigerian descent, does a particularly wonderful job as Dewey Hughes, who is an ambitious man in his own rights. In one of the deleted scenes they filmed a scene which allows Martin Sheen to go on in a soliloquey about his meeting with Dr. King. It has a much greater impact when left out.
This is one of those movies that inspires you to find out more about it's real life protagonists. Biographer Lurma Rackley brings Petey back to life with her book of his memoirs, "Laugh If You Like, Ain't a Damn Thing Funny," Dewey Hughes and his wife created Radio One, formerly WOL. Hughes is still a force in television and radio production, and his wife was legendary for her development of the 'Urban Radio' format.
In the end, these two men forged a future for those who were to follow, and created a comfort zone for many who came to the DC, Virginia, MD area from points farther South, or from the "country" (more rural parts). The radio provided a source of comfort and knowledge that these African Americans were not alone with 'Northerners' or Anglo Americans who didn't identify with them or understand them. Petey died at the relatively young age of 53 from liver cancer. The film also does not really deal with that at all.
All in all this is an enjoyable film, however it's strength is purely in the ability of the actors who portrayed these remarkable men.
Recommended:
Yes
Movie Mood: Serious Movie
Viewing Method: Other
Film Completeness: Looked complete to me.
Worst Part of this Film: Plot
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Epinions.com ID:
tiger62x
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Member: Barbara Jones
Location: New Jersey
Reviews written: 97
Trusted by: 6 members
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