Talk to Me: Review

Don Cheadle has slowly become one of the most reliable character actors in Hollywood, always imbuing even the most minor of characters with a complete sense of humanity. Even with his obvious talents, Cheadle had difficulty obtaining any lead roles of substance until 2004's Hotel Rwanda, his Schindler's List of sorts that detailed the monstrosities of the Rwandan Genocide in 1994. Since Rwanda, Cheadle has been on something of a roll, appearing in Crash and Reign Over Me (his performance in Crash was a definite highpoint of an otherwise maddening experience) and now in Talk to Me, Kasi Lemmons' biopic of 60's and 70's Washington DC Radio DJ Petey Greene, a film that crackles with life and features Cheadle's greatest performance. However, Cheadle need not go it alone as the supporting cast, most notably Chiwetel Ejifor, Taraji P. Hudson and Martin Sheen, is marvelous here, lifting the film to greater heights.

Lemmons' third feature centers around Greene, a figure many consider to be the first radio shock jock, a precursor of sorts to entertainers such as Howard Stern and Don Imus. Greene, who begins the film in prison as the jail's radio station DJ, is able to manipulate his early release by talking down a fellow inmate from a ledge and good behavior. Once released, he goes to WOL, where he obtains a job from Ejifor's Dewey Hughes after a great deal of struggle. The rest, they say, is history as Greene enjoys a rise of meteoric proportions, becoming a social leader and voice of reason in a time that would go on to become some of the most divisive years in U.S. History. The film tracks his ascent, from radio figure to television personality to stand up comedian, each scene fueled by a wonderful soundtrack, featuring most of the decade's greatest soul hits.


Cheadle takes the character of Greene and runs with it, creating a charismatic yet ultimately flawed man that always feels nothing less that completely real. Greene begins the film as a defiant, outspoken convict but as the story progresses, Cheadle slowly and subtly evolves the character to illustrate the wear Greene's lifestyle began to take. By films end, the audience has witnessed an amazingly simple, yet wonderfully effective transformation as Greene changes from a quick talking, flashy dresser to a worn down, world weary guy. However, Cheadle continues to inject a fiery, machismo into his character that reminds the viewer that Greene may have been slowed by his experiences but that his heart and soul were never altered. He remained, up until his death, a defiantly difficult man that made it difficult to love him but harder to hate. Ultimately, what makes Cheadle's performance so endearing is Greene's faults are readily on display. They are swept under the rug, they aren't forgotten. It makes Greene all the more human and Cheadle's work all the more convincing.

Ejiofor continues to astound, leaving nothing but a trail of dynamite performances in his wake. Recently, his work in Kinky Boots, Inside Man and Children of Men have been show stopping and now with Talk to Me and American Gangster on the horizon, there is a real chance that he may be a classic actor in the making. Not only has his decisions regarding films been well made, his work in those films have been wonderful and Talk to Me is his best yet. His measured confidence provides a perfect foil for Cheadle's brash cockiness. Hudson, as Greene's girlfriend, is wonderful as well, matching her performance in Hustle and Flow. She works to ground Greene but her character is nearly as volatile and when her and Cheadle take flight, the results are magnificient as they fire quick jabs back and forth.


The film's script, penned by Michael Genet and Rick Famuyima, is a quick paced and sharp-witted look at an era that changed America. While the film is undoubtedly centered on the relationship between Cheadle and Ejiofor, it explores many of themes and issues of the 60's, most particularly the impact of the assassination of MLK and the resonance it had in the African American community. Unfortunately, the film seems to gloss over certain elements at time in favor of screen time for the friendship between the leads. While it doesn't negatively impact the film, it makes the audience wondering what could have been if, had Lemmons' pushed for more exploration of the events. There are the beginnings of a riot that are shown and the images don't resonate like they could/should. It is what keeps Talk to Me from being an unquestioned classic.

However, I don't mean to attack the film's decision to focus on the primary relationship the story revolves around. Hughes and Greene's interactions are fascinating and entertaining. They keep the film's narrative moving until it becomes clear that the film is not about one or the other but the friendship they forged/shared through the years. The final scenes are moving and effective, bringing closure to the film while inspiring the audiences. It is refreshing to see a biopic this quick moving. It is never weighed down by the patronizing of a big studio production and while many great biopics emerge from the heavy hitters in the industry, a smaller scaled one never hurts. Talk to Me leaves the viewer wanting more, more of the wonderful music that Greene played, more of the honesty the film possesses. Rather than leaving the film exhausted, like one might from the sometimes bloated bigger budget entries into the genre, the audience I saw it with was invigorated, leaving the theatre with a smile on their faces and a hop in their step. Petey would have been proud.

****