Dir. Kasi Lemmons, US, 2007, 118 mins
Cast: Don Cheadle, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Martin Sheen
Review by Carol Allen
Director Lemmons went on record with her first film Eve's Bayou as saying she was interested in making films about lesser known and positive aspects of the American Black experience, so you can see why she was drawn to this story. Like “Eve” it's a story about Afro Americans, which has universal appeal, in that it's about things we can all identify with – truth, principle, when to compromise and when to be uncompromising, and it's primarily the story of a friendship between two men.
Set largely in a radio station in Washington, Cheadle plays outrageous and charismatic DJ Ralph "Petey" Greene, a man who helped change the sound and aspiration of black music radio in the sixties by speaking out about social injustice and racial pride, telling the world and those around him what were often uncomfortable truths. It's a role which is in complete contrast to the quietly thoughtful roles he's played recently in Crash, Hotel Rwanda and Reign Over Me. Cheadle is almost unrecognisable in Petey's blindingly colourful outfits and flamboyant Afro hairstyle. Motor mouthed in a rather Chris Rock kind of way, Petey is a man who is highly talented, unpredictable and a mixture of strength and vulnerability. Ejiofor is equally good as Dewey Hughes, the station manager. He is a "suit", a man who works from within the system to achieve his aims, who at first seems, as Petey cheekily describes him, like a “white man with a heavy tan”, but who then gradually shows us the real man inside. Ejiofor is an actor with great presence, which he uses to full effect here. Sheen is well cast as the (of course, at this period) white owner of this Black music station, a hard headed businessman but one with a liberal conscience, while Taraji P. Henson is delightful as Petey's sassy, sexy, loyal girlfriend Vernell. Unusually for the "girl's role" Vernell has plenty of character for the actress to work with and she seizes it with enthusiasm. Cedric the Entertainer is touching as the morning DJ, who is ousted by Petey.
The radio station, in which in the main part of the story is set, is very convincing and the film effectively recreates the era of Vietnam protests and the struggle for racial equality. The sequence dealing with the death of Martin Luther King is terrific and very moving. The film is, though, often very funny as well. It slows down a bit when Dewey, now Petey's manager, tries to broaden his career base and we move away from the radio studio setting, although the reconstruction of television's Johnny Carson show is impressive. And the disintegration of the relationship between Petey and Dewey continues to engage the emotions, as Dewey changes with the times - not always for the better - and Petey remains defiantly stuck in his groove. The ending could move you to tears.
This is a very entertaining film featuring two very good leading performances, which offers considerable insight into the Black culture of Washington at this period without alienating or excluding audiences for whom that is unfamiliar, foreign territory.
|
