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The Review - AT THE MOVIES with WILLIAM HALL
Published:22 November 2007

Ex-con makes waves on radio

TALK TO ME

Directed by Kasi Lemmons
Certificate 15

“I’M the greatest of all time!” announces the immodest hero of this finger-snapping 1960s tribute to a real-life phenomenon, one Ralph “Petey” Greene who took the airwaves of America by storm before falling spectacularly from grace on the Johnny Carson show.
We’re not listening to Muhammad Ali here, but to a cocky black dude fresh out of jail who swaggers into a local radio station in Washington DC and rules the roost with his firebrand wit.
Ambitious young programme director Chiwetel Ejiofor sees something in the brash ex-con that no one else has spotted, least of all the harassed station chief (Martin Sheen). Petey is given the prime slot on the ailing station’s morning show, and the switchboard is jammed.
And then something unexpected happens: the cool high-flyer suddenly changes into a mirror image of the man he created, taking over Petey’s spot and leaving his “find” stranded on the sidelines. He even buys the station.
How all this is resolved makes for riveting entertainment. I loved it. Join me, sit back – and enjoy.

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