Talk To Me is a biopic which focuses on a destructive personality, whose inability to cater to “the man” would not only lead to his downfall, but would also solidify his status as a legend.

Such a personality has already been seen in The Doors and to a lesser extent, American Splendour. But this time instead of the usual white face taking up the screen, the story focuses on a black man whose tell it like it is persona and staunch activism helped usher a new era of change in America during the tumultuous 1960’s.          

Said man is Ralph Waldo “Petey” Greene, played here by Don Cheadle. Petey was a radio DJ in the prison where he was serving time for armed robbery. Upon his release, Petey coerces WOL radio station program director Dewey Hughes ( Chiwetel Ejiofor) into giving him a job, to the chagrin of the stations head manager E.G. Sonderling (Martin Sheen).

Petey quickly becomes a hit as the man who is in touch with what is happening on the streets, and with Dewey as his manger, he becomes an American phenom who corners the stand up and TV markets. However, Petey’s alcoholism coupled with his stubborn attitude towards authority quickly destroys his career, and jeopardizes his friendship with Dewey. 

Talk To Me is not a story about one black man in America, but two African American men in a white world who, despite coming from similar backgrounds, have taken drastically different paths to get to where they are.

The cultural divide between the two is evident in one scene while the pair shoot a game of pool. Petey accuses Dewey of selling out his heritage, while Dewey believes Petey to be nothing more than a thug. But it does not take long for the two to figure out that one has underestimated the other. Dewey (despite his appearance and demeanour) grew up in the projects yet refuses to succumb to the conventions placed on him by his own people, and while Petey may be an ex-con, he is also a gifted and intelligent entertainer.      

Don Cheadle and Chiwetel Ejiofor deliver great performances. Cheadle is always a treat whenever he is given a colourful character such as this which he can fully inhabit, and Ejiofor continues to impress choosing the right roles in the right films. Martin Sheen is very good as the overwhelmed station boss, and Taraji P. Henson puts on a scene stealing performance as Petey’s sassy, long suffering girlfriend.   

Rick Fumiyiwa and Michael Genet have written a sharp screenplay which successfully captures the jive talking lingo of the time. This also applies to Stephanie Fontaine’s excellent costume design and the great job done by the hair and makeup departments. A hip and grooving soundtrack transports the viewer back to the 1960’s, as Stephanie Fontaine’s lush cinematography captures the vibrant colours of the time.  

Although the film is set during a time of civil unrest and the Vietnam War, it manages it be an extremely funny, and poignant movie thanks to Cheadle’s delivery of Petey Greene’s brash and entertaining opinions.
However, its tendency to become over sentimental does bring the film down somewhat, with the reactions to the death of Martin Luther King, and an overdramatic ending pushing the boundaries of melodrama to icky heights.

That being said, Talk To Me is a thoroughly entertaining film which features many wonderful performances.