TALK TO ME

TALK TO ME, IS THE EPITOME OF A FILM BEING UNBALANCED. THERE ARE WONDERFUL SCENES, MIXED IN WITH OTHERS THAT MAKE YOU WONDER IF THE PRODUCERS ARE SERIOUS OR JUST CLOWNING AROUND. THE OUTRAGEOUS ACTIONS, FASHIONS AND LANGUAGE OF THE EARLY PARTS ARE SO "JIVE ASS, " DOUBLE KNIT, SUPERFLY WANNABEE, OVER THE TOP 1960s SILLY, THAT YOU DON'T KNOW IF YOU SHOULD LAUGH OR BE INSULTED OR BOTH. MANY PARTS OF THE EARLY GOING ARE WHAT YOU MIGHT EXPECT IN A JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL PLAY GONE WRONG. THEN, YOU SEE FLASHES OF A PLOT, A CHARACTER, A DIRECTION, A PURPOSE FOR THIS FILM BEING ON THE SCREEN. NOT LONG AFTER THE BRILLIANT FLASHES, ELEMENTS OF THE MINSTREL SHOW RETURN. THEN YOU HAVE THE EVENTS OF APRIL 4th, 1968 AND THIS MOVIE GOES HIGHER THAN YOU HAD ANY RIGHT TO EXPECT. YOU ARE BEYOND ACADEMY AWARDS AND LOOKING FOR SOMETHING MORE WORTHY FOR THIS GREAT MOVIE. THEN IT DAWNS ON YOU, THAT THIS MOVIE WAS NOT ALL THAT GREAT UP TO THIS MOMENT. I COULD TELL YOU TO AVOID THIS MOVIE LIKE A THREE DOLLAR CRACK HOE OR RUSH OUT OF THE HOUSE, LEAVING YOUR YOUNG CHILDREN TO FEND FOR THEMSELVES UNTIL YOU RETURN FROM SEEING IT AND I WOULD BE RIGHT ON BOTH ACCOUNTS. THIS FILM IS OFF THE HOOK, OFF THE CHART, OUT OF CONTROL, BOUNCING OFF THE WALLS, FULL OF HIGHS AND LOWS, PEAKS AND VALLEYS ----------- IT IS UNBALANCED. THE BOTTOM LINE IS, YOU SHOULD SEE IT -- I TEND TO THINK THAT PETEY GREEN, THE RADIO PERSONALITY THE STORY IS ABOUT, WAS A MAN OF PEAKS AND VALLEYS AND THAT IS WHY THE STORY IS INTENTIONALLY A ROLLERCOASTER RIDE -- THE STORY DICTATES THE WAY THEY SHAPED THE FILMING OF HIS LIFE - A LIFE THAT WAS UNBALANCED AND OUT OF BALANCE. I AM NOT GOING TO TALK ABOUT THE STORY ITSELF, YOU CAN GO INTO THIS FILM COMPLETELY IGNORANT OF THE DETAILS AND IT WON'T HURT YOU AT ALL. JUST PREPARE YOURSELF FOR STRONG LANGUAGE, IF YOU ARE SENSITIVE ABOUT CERTAIN WORDS, BUT IF BOTH YOUR PARENTS WERE MARINE DRILL SERGEANTS, YOU WILL DO FINE. IS THERE A POINT IN SAYING DON CHEADLE OR MARTIN SHEEN, DID A GREAT JOB - DO THEY EVER DO LESS WITH A ROLE. CEDRIC THE ENTERTAINER, MAKES HIS PRESENCE KNOWN, THOUGH HE IS ON SCREEN FOR ONLY A LITTLE TIME -- HIS ROLE IS SMALL, BUT HE MAKES IT BIG. Vondie Curtis-Hall, ALSO MAKES A BRIEF AMOUNT OF SCREEN TIME INTO SOMETHING NOTEWORTHY. NEW COMERS, Chiwetel Ejiofor, AS A MAN OF INSIGHT AND AMBITION ------ Taraji P. Henson, AS THE VERY HOT AND LOYAL WOMAN STANDING BESIDE HER MAN, ARE BOTH EXCELLENT - MOST OF THE TIME - REMEMBER, THIS FILM IS NOT A SMOOTH RUNNING TRAIN. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ COMMENTS - FROM CAM HEILIGER - CHARLOTTE, N.C.I went and saw Talk to Me and I really enjoyed it. Your review makes sense to me, but I was not alive during this time period to understand how poorly they reproduced the language so I was neither offended or even aware. Don Cheadle is an actor of the highest caliber and his acting never really surprises me because I expect greatness from him everytime. However, what I am continually impressed with from him is his amazing versatility. He can be anyone. He can do comedy, drama, tragedy. This was a perfect role for him because Petey Green had all of these characteristics and as you alluded to with your roller coaster comment, they all come out at some point in this movie. I was somewhat worried when I heard that Cedric the Entertainer would be in this movie, but like Jamie Foxx, he continues to show me that he has the ability to take on deeper and more serious roles. The Nighthawk was perfect for him. You are also correct in stating that the scenes involving the death of Martin Luther King Jr. and its aftermath are the reason you should see this movie. Every actor in the film steps it up ten notches for these moments and the rioting and the subsuquent all night broadcast punch you right in the face. You aren't ready for it. You can't be. But that was the point. As a lover of history, I left this movie thinking that it was one that I would own as soon as it came out. Despite the flaws that you pointed out, this is a great movie about a man that many people from my generation have never heard of and should.