A Little Too Much Static for Me.

Rating: Null/10 (11 November 2003)

The would-be inspirational true story of a mentally-challenged young man (Cuba Gooding, Jr.) in 1976 South Carolina who was given a chance by a kind high school football coach (Ed Harris) to help the team and become a fixture around the local high school. Naturally some prejudices will take place as some of the football-crazed townspeople look at Gooding as more of a distraction. Slowly though Harris shows that Gooding is the one who is really educating the community with his natural enthusiasm, good heart, fine morals and undeniable human spirit. Up and down the whole way, "Radio" tries to move its audience one way and then the other with predictable clichés and sometimes mean-spirited direction. Gooding, Jr. is pretty impressive here, but honestly he has done better work (remember "Jerry Maguire" and "Men of Honor"?). The same is true with Ed Harris who nails the kind coach who inspires greatness ala Tom Landry thing down, but really his part is more of a slickly-conceived caricature than a true three-dimensional character. Debra Winger is wasted as Harris' wife and youngster Sarah Drew's rocky relationship with Harris (her father) is only given a very minute glimpse. In the end you might want to change the channel when it comes to "Radio". 2.5 out of 5 stars.