Me Llaman Radio

This is a great heartwarming story that the whole family can watch and enjoy, both young and old, which is rare! It is even made better by the fact that this is based on a true story. I love movies that remind us of and reinforce the good in humanity.

This film won a CAMIE award, which stands for "Character and Morality in Entertainment", which recognizes movies that are entertaining and uplifting. I didn't even know this award existed until this movie won one. (If you like to see inspiring movies, check out their website for past winners at camieawards.org)

This story, from the writer of "The Rookie", is inspired by real events in the life of a mentally-challenged man named Radio (Gooding Jr.), who won the heart of a high school football coach, (Harris) a South Carolina football team and eventually the town of Anderson, SC. The story explores how Radio overcomes his handicap and personal struggles through kindness and compassion from Coach Harold Jones.

Some people will find this too sentimental and cheesy. But if you like positive messages and stories of hope and overcoming adversity, you will love this movie, as I did.

Can a mentally challenged black youth be a catalyst to unite people in a South Carolina town? The answer appears to be that in spite of his handicap, James Kennedy, understood much more than what he was given credit for and went to become a fixture in the sports scene. Also, the film is saying how many of us overlook people with problems that can be helped if only we have the patience Coach Jones showed to the young man because of his own guilt in his heart.

"Radio", directed by Michael Tolllin, is a formula film inspired on a true story. Yet, the movie is not a complete failure because of the inspired performances the director was able to get from his wonderful cast.

Coach Jones is instrumental in getting the young man, who is called Radio because his passion for collecting them, involved in sports, a passion he discovers in this retarded man who has had only hard knocks in his young life. Coming from a poor background, Radio, lives with his mother who is protective of him and questions the coach's intentions. Radio is seen by the school kids as a mascot, at first, then, his sunny disposition wins him the acceptance of everyone because he is a good person without an ounce of malice in his body.

The film owes a lot to Ed Harris and Cuba Gooding Jr. who make a great pair as the coach and Radio. Mr. Harris, one of the best actors of our times is never boring in anything he graces with his presence. He gets the essence of the principled coach who sees the possibility to make amends for something that bothers him from his past. Cuba Gooding Jr. is also at his best portraying the mentally challenged young man.

The supporting cast is excellent. S. Ephata Merkerson, one of the best actresses of her generation, does interesting work as the mother of Radio. Alfre Woodard, another good actress plays the high school principle with style. Debra Winger, only has a few scenes in the film.

"Radio", while being sentimental, will warm anyone's heart because it shows how we tend to see some people are in our society that we know nothing about and how quick we are to judge them. Michael Tollin puts a lot of ideas in the proper perspective for us.

The picture deals with a mentally handicapped young man (Cuba Gooding) . He's taken under the wing a expert trainer (Ed Harris and married to forgotten Debra Winger) of a high school and takes deeply interest with him . He's nicknamed ¨Radio¨ because he likes listening the radio so much . In the beginning he suffers numerous jokes and misfortunes in charge of the team members but his goodness and kindness become him into a great inspiration for his community .

It's a brilliant and moving story , although being sometimes slow moving but relies heavily on the continued relation among them , but it doesn't make tiring . However , being amusing and entertaining , though overly sentimental . In the picture is developed some ethics and moral issues such as friendship , helpless youthful , familiar assistance.. ..narrated in nice sense of ductility and sensibility . Because the relationship between Radio and the town is ongoing , even up until the present day , the screenwriter choose to compress the highlights of the relationship to a one-year period . Cuba Gooding is terrific , he plays perfectly the severally mentally retarded young man , making a perceptible and enjoyable interpretation . In addition , Ed Harris acting as the good coach is top-notch . Sensational and awesome musical score by the great James Horner (Windtalkers , A beautiful mind) . Excellent cinematography by Don Burgess (Spiderman , Terminator 3) , he's Robert Zemeckis's usual cameraman . This film based on real deeds was well directed by Michael Tollin . Rating : Better than average . It's a winner for Cuba Gooding and Ed Harris fans .

This was unusual: a modern-day film which was ultra-nice. In fact, it was so nice it bordered on being too hard to believe in parts. As I watching this based-on-a-real-life story, I was thinking, "nobody is this nice, this tolerant." Mainly, I was referring to Ed Harris' role as "Coach Jones." I think they went a little overboard on his character, but that's better than the reverse: showing him worse than what he was in real life. Odd to see Harris playing the role, too, since he has a long resume of playing nasty, profane characters.

Anyway, I never complain about a nice, feel-good film, and it is nice to see a bunch of well- meaning, kind people. Those folks direct their friendship, love and compassion to "James Kennedy," better known as "Radio," a mentally slow high school kid played by Cuba Gooding Jr. The story takes place in the mid 1970s in South Carolina. Gooding does a nice job with the role, too. However, like Sean Penn's role of a mentally-challenged man in "I Am Sam," an hour-and-a-half of a character like this is plenty. After that, the loudness of those guys gets tiresome to hear.

Note: It was interesting in one of the documentaries on this DVD to find out that, in real life, in took years for "Radio" to make his transformation, not months as shown in the film.

OK, first I'll say that yes, the whole movie felt a little like a simple

Hallmark channel film. The characters' roles were painfully easy

to read (i.e.- that banker guy was the obligatory anti-"Radio"

element and Coach Jones' relationship problems with his

daughter were brutally obvious).

BUT having said that (and I'm sure I could bag on more of it), let's

hope that children see this film. It's simplicity helps to make it

easy to follow for them. Somewhere in the middle of all the junk

that today's kids see... whether through videogames or some

godawful movie like "Torque" or "Fast and the Furious"(and I don't

knock this stuff because of cussing or violence... they are just real

mindless pieces of garbage)... it is glorious to know that a warm

film like "RADIO" is out there for them.

If we could all help and care about others the way that Coach

Jones did for "RADIO", what a beautiful world it would indeed be.