Feel good film is straight from the hip

Rating: 5/10 (2 February 2005)

This is one of those films that can act as a test for viewers who want their cynicism rated because while it would be easy to dismiss this as sappy it's still a film that for the most part avoids contrivances. Story is set in Anderson, S.C. in the 1970's where we see James Kennedy (Cuba Gooding Jr.) who is mentally disabled and spends his days pushing a cart around and collecting junk. Harold Jones (Ed Harris) is the local high school football coach and he meets the young man after some of his players lock him in a shed and scare him badly. Coach Jones helps him and gains his trust but after asking his name all he can get out of him is "Radio" which becomes his nickname.
*****SPOILER ALERT***** Radio acts as the team cheerleader and as an assistant and he slowly starts to open up as Coach Jones attempts to teach him things in his classroom. Radio's mother (S. Epatha Merkerson) isn't sure why Coach Jones is so friendly to her son and not everyone in town agrees with it either but as Radio accompanies the high school team to games he becomes a permanent fixture on the sidelines which people start to appreciate.
This is directed by Michael Tollin who has directed only one other film before and here he does an admirable job of making sure that viewers don't witness another story in which someone of special attention beats racism in a small town. The script really just shows how Radio opened up as a person when those around him started to treat him fairly although there is that part of the story where the important town banker (and father of the star player) attempts to change things. If anything, the film lacks any real drama which can be looked at as both a flaw and as something refreshing but I think the film is just trying to stay faithful to it's source. The casting helps to iron out the sentimental elements and with those crooked choppers Gooding smartly makes sure that his performance doesn't stray over the top. Harris is his usual pillar of strength although his real intentions are never clear despite his little speech about being a kid with a paper route. This film can be looked at as both a hit and a miss but I do think that there are enough good things happening with it to warrant a viewing so that others can find out where they stand in terms of their own cynicism.