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In the 1960’s, a relative living in the Washington D.C. area told me about a radio host there named Petey Greene. “This guy walks a fine line”, she said, “but he seems to pull the town together.” Talk to Me is the story of Petey Greene (really Ralph Waldo “Petey” Greene, Jr.)  Actor Don Cheadle, also a co-producer, takes the role and throttles it until it becomes his. In fact, the camera is on him from the shoulders up so much, when you hear voices from others in the room, it could be anyone. Greene’s story is a poignant one in that he was another person who rose from a criminal youth to prison, but had a talent with words on the air. Many people are afraid of the microphone, but not Petey. Unfortunately, out of that element, Petey fell as fast as he rose.

Also in the cast is Chiwetel Ejiofor (as Dewey Hughes), who plays a close friend of Petey’s, Mike Epps (as Milo Hughes), Taraji P. Henson as Petey’s girlfriend, Vernell,  who always wears clothes three sizes too small and Martin Sheen as E. G. Sonderling, the owner of radio station WOL in Washington, D.C. Cedric the Entertainer does a Barry White-type character whose voice  thrills the ladies and Vondie Curtis Hall plays the trod-upon morning talk show host, Sunny Jim.

The story begins with Petey in prison and a star on their radio station. When he is of some help to the warden, Petey gets an early release and goes to Dewey, an executive with WOL for a job. There is a “misunderstanding,” as Dewey says to come to him for help, while Petey took that to mean a job for sure. Eventually, Petey gets on the air and almost thrown off for foul language. The F.C.C. is not pleased. What doesn’t help is Vernell periodically showing up at the station in clothing held together by two threads and a snap. Petey’s star is rising fast, but so is his alcohol consumption and pack after pack of cigarettes. Pretty soon, he is drunk on the air. When Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. is assassinated, Petey stays on the air to calm the town. Dewey and Petey form a partnership that includes a stand-up comedy routine, records and then the big one---an appearance on “The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson.” Petey can’t handle this and the partnership falls apart with the men going their separate ways.  Dewey turns back to radio, while Petey sort of disappears, but not quite.

There are many good performances in Talk to Me, including Don Cheadle, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Taraji P. Henson, Cedric the Entertainer and Vondie Curtis Hall. Martin Sheen could have phoned in his part, that of a not-quite-irate executive who can be calmed. Humor is provided by the tricks used to get Hall, the morning host, off the air so Petey can have his chance. Also, the entrances Cedric makes, complete with two wolfhounds, as the champ of his section of the airways. “The ladies love it,” he purrs. 

Talk to Me has its share of Petey vomiting and even a back nude scene. Why they were included is anyone’s guess, but it does nothing to enhance the film. We get what is wrong with Petey. Don Cheadle, with a beard and full head of hair, looks like Richard Pryor in his prime. What is missing though, is background on the relationship between Petey, Dewey and Milo. How long have they been friends? What did Petey do to be in prison? Where does he get the money for a gold necklace and fancy clothes? The girl friend? No one seems to notice that Petey needs alcohol for everything. He comes on brash, but that is a gauze covering over fear. Booze provides a stronger cover for that fear, which is the fear of failure. Why try anything new, when a small radio station is about as high as you think you can be? Self confidence is zero percent while whiskey provides ten percent courage at ninety percent the price. We have all known people like this. They pass you like a shooting star on the way up and a falling star on the way down. 

Copyright 2007 Marie Asner
Submitted 7/24/07 for 7/27/07