Radio (2003)
"Radio" is a film that does everything
perfectly. We know going in it is based on a true
story and it is about a young, mentally challenged,
African-American man who is adopted by a high school
football team and becomes their greatest inspiration,
their mascot in the best sense of the word.
Yes, we know that this is going
to be about a "retarded" boy and as the film unfolds,
we often brace ourselves for typical and disquieting
moments, for times when Radio is going to be hurt,
teased unmercifully or blatantly treated like shit.
Amazingly, this never happens after one initial scene.
The hardships that confront Radio in this movie are
never harsh, never contrived for melodramatic effect
and never unbearable. What we see here is a reflection
of reality. What Radio faces is often difficult, but
it is never overtly cruel or heartless. And this is
refreshing. This is what makes the film work. If it
were a bit more harsh, it might be a Lifetime Original
Movie. If it were much more harsh, it could be heartbreaking
and unwatchable.
But everything works here. The script
by Mike Rich is perfect. It hits every note correctly.
The direction by Michael Tollin may not be considered
"masterful," but, in fact, it is. Tollin hits every
note correctly as well. And his pacing is simply perfect.
He directs the action scenes of the football games
in the film with as much skill as he does the tender
moments.
But the truly amazing thing about
"Radio" is the cast. Cuba Gooding, Jr. may be playing
a role that many might considered easy, but they are
missing something. Gooding emotes more here with a
look, a smile, or a tear than he does with his words.
He makes us love Radio and easily see everything good
within him that we also garner from his exterior actions
presented by the script. And Ed Harris is amazing.
Amazing. This role should grab him another Oscar nod
but it probably wont because Harris, like Tom Hanks
in "Apollo 13," plays a normal man, a guy who is not
verbose, not overly intelligent, not particularly
noticeable, a guy who is, let's face it, boring, who
does extraordinary thing almost without thinking.
(It's more likely Gooding would be nominated because
his role is more "showy, thespian-ly speaking). Harris
brings us a man of such goodness of heart that in
the hands of a lesser actor, he would be pedantic,
obvious and unbelievable. Harris is never any of these
things. He has a truly exceptional moment with the
young actress playing his daughter here where he tells
a simple story that helps her (and us) understand
his honest and beautiful motivations for helping Radio.
It is THE moment in a film filled with moments. It
is beautiful.
The young lady, by the way, is Sarah
Drew (she looks like a young Annette O'Toole) and
she is one of the many perfectly cast secondary characters
in the film. In addition to the young face of Drew,
there is the simply gorgeous youthful facade of Riley
Smith, who plays the nemesis of Radio in the film.
It is obvious Smith's character must have a change
of heart and does in another wonderfully sublime and
perfectly subtle moment of the film, much to the support
of Harris and Gooding. Smith makes himself an actor
to look for here.
And then there are some familiar
faces that do some of their best work in ages. Debra
Winger is wonderful in the role of Harris' understanding
wife. She is only in the film a few times but appears
at important moments of the film, at the times when
Harris needs to see a supportive character the most.
We simply love her because she understands her husband's
need to help Radio without ever really questioning
it. Any other actress would be there to play the understanding,
long suffering wife. Winger is their to support Harris
as Coach Jones and to help us to understand how it
is that he can be so strong. Like Harris and Gooding,
she can emote much with just a smile, a warm embrace.
Also of note is Alfre Woodard who
plays the head of the high school. Since the film
is set in 1976, it is nice to see the principal of
the school where Harris works in the South portrayed
by a black female. I'm sure, this is probably a reflection
of reality. And while we are initially a bit surprised
to see this, what is most wonderful about her performance
is that the initial mild, second-guessing shock we
experience about her character (it's odd to see a
black, female principal in a film set in the South
in the past) simply vanishes ten seconds after she
is on the screen. We realize we were silly to even
question that a black woman would be the principal
of a high school in the South in 1976. Woodard, who
plays a wonderful and wonderfully written character,
simply becomes the principal of the school. Any naive
notions we had about her race or her gender being
questionable in a film set in 1976 is fleeting and
forgotten almost immediately.
Chris Mulkey (from "Twin Peaks"
fame) is nice and subtle as the "villain" here. Again,
as with the rest of the film, there is no reason for
anyone to go over the top and he doesn't. Mulkey's
"bad guy" may be a typical high-pressure "football
dad" but his problems with Radio never denigrate to
racial slurs or rabid hatred. He's just a wrong-headed
guy. Mulkey handles the character with finesse. And
Brent Sexton is perfect as Harris co-worker and the
school's basketball coach, who also adopts Radio.
Again, Sexton has just the right amount of reservations
and just the right amount of heart. Like everyone
else in the film, he works through the subtlety of
the script with faultless accuracy.
"Radio" is one of those films that
most people will avoid because they either think it's
a "Chick Flick" or a weepie that will require an endless
supply of Kleenex. While it is emotional and it is
often capable of inducing tears, "Radio" is also one
of the most subtle and beautiful films you will ever
see. You will walk out of this film believing in the
kindness and goodness of the human race while not
once feeling like you been manipulated into feeling
this way due to a bit of Hollywood hokum.
Note:
The real Coach Jones and Radio appear
in footage at the end of the film.
Co-produced by Brian Robbins (of
TV's "Head of the Class") who is also a producer/director
of films. He and Tollin have worked on over 20 TV
and film productions together. Their next is the Robbins
helmed "The Perfect Score" due in January, 2004.
Based on a 1996 "Sports Illustrated"
article by Gary Smith.
Filmed in South Carolina including
the town of Anderson where the events took place.
The working title of the film was
"Someone to Lean On."
In real life in 1976, Radio was
17. Here, he is played by Gooding who is currently
34.
Gooding, Harris, Winger and Woodard
are all Oscar nominees. Gooding is the only one to
have actually won one. The film was initially to be
released at a more Oscar friendly date, November 21st,
but eventually Columbia bumped it back to October
24th.
Viewed in Austin in October 2003
with my roomie Amanda.
