Radio (2003 film)

Last updated
Radio
Radio-movie Poster.jpg
Theatrical release poster
Directed by Michael Tollin
Written by Mike Rich
Produced by
Starring
Cinematography Don Burgess
Edited by
Music by James Horner
Production
companies
Distributed by Sony Pictures Releasing
Release date
  • October 24, 2003 (2003-10-24)
Running time
109 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$30 million
Box office$52.6 million

Radio is a 2003 American semi-biographical sports drama film directed by Mike Tollin, and inspired by the 1996 Sports Illustrated article "Someone to Lean On" by Gary Smith. [1] [2] The article and the movie are based on the true story of T. L. Hanna High School football coach Harold Jones (Ed Harris) and a young man with an intellectual disability, James Robert "Radio" Kennedy (Cuba Gooding Jr.). The film co-stars Debra Winger and Alfre Woodard. It was filmed primarily in Walterboro, South Carolina.

Contents

Plot

In the 1970s, James Robert "Radio" Kennedy, a 23-year-old intellectually disabled man, lives alone with his mother who, as a nurse, spends much of the day at work. Radio spends much of his day roaming the town and pushing a shopping cart, which he uses to collect anything interesting he finds. Radio often pauses to observe the local high school football team in their training sessions, led by Coach Harold Jones. During one such session, the football falls out of bounds, allowing Radio to collect it and haul it away in his cart. A group of players retaliate the following day by tying Radio's hands and feet, locking him in the gear shed, and throwing footballs at the door to scare him.

Coach Jones frees Radio and punishes the wrongdoers by making them run extra wind sprints after practice. Jones takes it upon himself to assist in Radio's care, and gives him his nickname due to his penchant for listening to the radio. Radio begins assisting Coach Jones on the football team, and inspires the team before each game as a mascot-type figure. Radio's increased attention from Jones is faced with resistance from the football team's parents, who see Radio as a distraction from their own sons' successes.

Upon the end of the football season, Jones involves Radio with several activities within the high school, and winds up neglecting his daughter Mary Helen, who is a member of the high school's cheerleading squad. At a Christmas mass, Radio receives several gifts from the townspeople. Mary Helen confides to her father that while she does not blame him for neglecting her, she cannot understand the reason for his interest in Radio.

The following day, Radio distributes the gifts around town. He soon encounters a suspicious police officer, and his impaired ability to communicate leads to his arrest on the charge of possessing stolen property. However, the other officers recognize Radio and he is released. To make up for the wrongful arrest, the arresting officer is forced to ferry Radio around town to finish delivering the gifts. Following the holidays, Radio begins taking classes in the high school to complete his formal education. One of the football players who had previously tormented him tricks Radio into entering the girls' locker room. Radio is reluctant to tell Coach Jones who set him up, but Coach Jones determines the player's identity by interviewing other players and punishes him by benching him for a decisive game.

Radio's mother suddenly dies of a heart attack, and Radio finds himself living alone until his absent older brother Walter finally returns to care for him. That same evening, Jones reveals to Mary Helen that his attachment to Radio and need to assist him stems from a childhood incident in which Jones, as a child making a living off delivering newspapers, did not help a mentally disabled boy his own age crying behind barbed wire. Following the death of Radio's mother, pressure from the school board to have Radio put in a specialized institution strengthens. The association between Radio and Coach Jones is further blamed for the team's inability to win.

In a meeting with the townspeople, Jones speaks of Radio being a blessing for the community by showing how people should treat one another, and announces his resignation as head coach so that he may spend more time with his family. At Radio's high school graduation, he receives an honorary diploma and a letterman jacket. The film ends with clips being shown of the real-life Radio and Coach Jones leading the football team.

Cast

Background

The film's lead character, Radio, is based on James Robert "Radio" Kennedy, who was born October 14, 1946 [3] in Anderson, South Carolina. His nickname, Radio, was given to him by townspeople because Kennedy grew up fascinated by radios and because of the radio he carried everywhere he went. He was known to ask students before football games, "We gonna get that quarterback?", and say "We gonna win tonight!".[ citation needed ] ReelSports provided the football and basketball coordination for the film.

Reception

On review aggregate Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds a 36% approval rating with the consensus reading: "The story is heavy on syrupy uplift and turns Radio into a saint/cuddly pet". [4] The film holds a score of 38 out of 100 on Metacritic. [5] The film successfully grossed $52.3 million with a budget of approximately $30 million. [6] Cuba Gooding Jr. earned a Golden Raspberry Award nomination for Worst Actor for his performance in the film but also an NAACP Image Award for Best Actor in a Motion Picture.

Awards and nominations

AwardCategorySubjectResult
Black Reel Awards Best Actor Cuba Gooding Jr. Nominated
CAMIE Awards Theatrical release Todd Garner Won
Michael Tollin Won
Mike Rich Won
Cuba Gooding Jr. Won
Ed Harris Won
Alfre Woodard Won
Riley Smith Won
Brent Sexton Won
S. Epatha Merkerson Won
Sarah Drew Won
ESPY Award Best Sports Movie Nominated
NAACP Image Award Outstanding Actor Cuba Gooding Jr.Won
Supporting Actress Alfre WoodardWon
Golden Raspberry Award Worst Actor Cuba Gooding Jr.Nominated

Soundtrack

The soundtrack to Radio was released on October 21, 2003.

No.TitleArtistLength
1."Eyes Of The Heart (Radio's Song)" India.Arie 4:44
2."We Can Work It Out" Stevie Wonder 3:18
3."That Lady - Pt. 1" The Isley Brothers 3:15
4."I'll Be Around" The Spinners 3:14
5."If You Don't Know Me By Now" Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes 3:29
6."Sha La La (Make Me Happy)" Al Green 2:59
7."We're An American Band" Grand Funk Railroad 3:28
8."China Grove" The Doobie Brothers 3:17
9."Wake Up Everybody (Part 1)" Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes 3:45
10."The Rubberband Man" The Spinners 3:36
11."Be Thankful for What You Got" William DeVaughn 3:28
12."Going In Circles" The Friends of Distinction 4:11
13."Radio's Day" James Horner featuring vocals by India.Arie 4:21
14."Gift of the Ball"James Horner1:47
15."Learning The Ropes"James Horner1:55
16."Being Left Behind"James Horner2:42
17."Resignation"James Horner4:43
18."Never So Alone"James Horner featuring vocals by India.Arie 7:14
19."Night Game"James Horner2:41
20."Radio" Chuck Brodsky 4:08
Total length:71:46 [7]

See also

Related Research Articles

<i>Hoosiers</i> (film) 1986 film by David Anspaugh

Hoosiers is a 1986 American sports drama film written by Angelo Pizzo and directed by David Anspaugh in his feature directorial debut. It tells the story of a small-town Indiana high school basketball team that enters the state championship. It is inspired in part by the Milan High School team who won the 1954 state championship.

<i>Mr. Hollands Opus</i> 1995 film by Stephen Herek

Mr. Holland's Opus is a 1995 American drama film directed by Stephen Herek, produced by Ted Field, Robert W. Cort, and Michael Nolin, and written by Patrick Sheane Duncan. The film stars Richard Dreyfuss in the title role of Glenn Holland, a dedicated high-school music teacher who attempts to compose his own music while struggling to balance his job and life with his wife and profoundly deaf son. The cast also includes Glenne Headly, Olympia Dukakis, William H. Macy, and Jay Thomas.

<i>The Waterboy</i> 1998 film by Frank Coraci

The Waterboy is a 1998 American sports comedy film directed by Frank Coraci. It was written by Adam Sandler as well as Tim Herlihy and produced by Robert Simonds and Jack Giarraputo. Sandler also stars as the title character while Kathy Bates, Fairuza Balk, Henry Winkler, Jerry Reed, Larry Gilliard, Jr., Blake Clark, Peter Dante, and Jonathan Loughran play other characters.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lynette Woodard</span> American basketball player and coach

Lynette Woodard is an American basketball player and former head women's basketball coach at Winthrop University.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Omar Epps</span> American actor and musician

Omar Hashim Epps is an American actor, rapper, and producer. He has been awarded nine NAACP Image Awards, two Teen Choice Awards, one MTV Movie Award, one Black Reel Award, and one Screen Actors Guild Award. Epps's film roles include Juice, Higher Learning, The Wood, In Too Deep, and Love & Basketball. His television work includes the role of Dr. Dennis Gant on the medical drama series ER, J. Martin Bellamy in Resurrection, Dr. Eric Foreman on the Fox medical drama series House from 2004 to 2012, and Isaac Johnson in the TV series Shooter from 2016 to 2018.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alfre Woodard</span> American actress (born 1952)

Alfre Woodard is an American actress. Known for portraying strong-willed and dignified roles on stage and screen, she has received various accolades, including four Emmy Awards, a Golden Globe Award, and three Screen Actors Guild Awards as well as nominations for an Academy Award, BAFTA Award, and two Grammy Awards. In 2020, The New York Times ranked her as one of "The 25 Greatest Actors of the 21st Century". She is a board member of Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

<i>Coach Carter</i> 2005 film directed by Thomas Carter

Coach Carter is a 2005 American biographical sports drama film starring Samuel L. Jackson and directed by Thomas Carter. It is based on the true story of Richmond High School basketball coach Ken Carter, who made headlines in 1999 for suspending his undefeated high school basketball team due to poor academic results. The story was conceived from a screenplay co-written by John Gatins and Mark Schwahn. The ensemble cast features Rob Brown, Channing Tatum, Debbi Morgan, Robert Ri'chard and singer Ashanti.

<i>Beauty Shop</i> 2005 American comedy film by Bille Woodruff

Beauty Shop is a 2005 American comedy film directed by Bille Woodruff. The film serves as a spin-off of the Barbershop film series, and stars Queen Latifah as Gina, a character first introduced in the 2004 film Barbershop 2: Back in Business. This film also stars Alicia Silverstone, Andie MacDowell, Mena Suvari, Kevin Bacon and Djimon Hounsou.

Riley Smith is an American actor. He is known for his roles on television, such as recurring roles in the series 24, Joan of Arcadia, 90210, True Blood and The Messengers, and starring roles on the television series Drive, Frequency, and Nancy Drew.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rob Brown (actor)</span> American actor

Robert Brown is an American actor. He is known for his roles in the films Finding Forrester (2000), Coach Carter (2005), Take the Lead (2006), and The Express: The Ernie Davis Story (2008), and for starring in the HBO series Treme (2010–13) and NBC series Blindspot (2015-2020).

Tamerlane Lincoln Kennedy is an American former professional football offensive tackle who played in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Washington Huskies, and was recognized as a unanimous All-American in 1992.

Michael Tollin is an American film and television producer/director who served as executive producer of the Emmy award-winning The Last Dance, a 10-part documentary series on Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls dynasty. The series received rave reviews and set numerous ratings records, being seen by nearly 15 million viewers per episode on ESPN and many million more on Netflix around the world.

<i>Extremities</i> (film) 1986 film by Robert M. Young

Extremities is a 1986 American drama film directed by Robert M. Young and written by William Mastrosimone, based on his 1982 off-Broadway play of the same name. The film stars Farrah Fawcett, Alfre Woodard, Diana Scarwid, and James Russo.

<i>Mumford</i> (film) 1999 American film

Mumford is a 1999 American comedy-drama film written and directed by Lawrence Kasdan. It is set in a small town where a new psychologist gives offbeat advice to the neurotic residents. Both the psychologist and the town are named Mumford, a coincidence that eventually figures in the plot. The film co-stars Hope Davis, Jason Lee, Alfre Woodard, Mary McDonnell, Martin Short, David Paymer, Pruitt Taylor Vince, Ted Danson, and Zooey Deschanel in her film debut.

<i>The Music Man</i> (1962 film) American musical film by Morton DaCosta

The Music Man is a 1962 American musical film directed and produced by Morton DaCosta, based on Meredith Willson's 1957 Broadway musical of the same name, which DaCosta also directed. Robert Preston reprises the title role from the stage version, starring alongside Shirley Jones, Buddy Hackett, Hermione Gingold, Ronny Howard, and Paul Ford.

Tollin Productions is an American movie and television production company operated by Mike Tollin and Brian Robbins in 1994. Joe Davola was also an unofficial partner in the company and co-produced many of the company's productions along with Robbins and Tollin from 1994–2013 and 2021–present.

Blue Mountain State is an American television sitcom that premiered on Spike on January 11, 2010. The series was created by Chris Romano and Eric Falconer, and produced by Lionsgate Television. The series is about a fictitious university, Blue Mountain State, and its football team, the "Mountain Goats". It portrays certain aspects of American university life, including college football, sex, binge drinking, drugs, wild partying, and hazing. Over the years, due in large part to being streamable on Netflix, the series has developed a cult following.

<i>Steel Magnolias</i> (2012 film) 2012 American TV series or program

Steel Magnolias is an American comedy-drama television film directed by Kenny Leon that premiered at Lifetime Network on October 7, 2012. It is a contemporary retelling of the play Steel Magnolias and its 1989 film adaptation. The new film stars an all-black American cast, including Queen Latifah as M'Lynn, Jill Scott as Truvy, Condola Rashād as Shelby, Adepero Oduye as Annelle, with Phylicia Rashād as Clairee and Alfre Woodard as Ouiser.

James Robert "Radio" Kennedy was an American man with an intellectual disability who was known for his association with the T. L. Hanna High School football team in Anderson, South Carolina. He first gained prominence in 1996 when Gary Smith wrote an article about Kennedy for Sports Illustrated titled "Someone to Lean On." Kennedy's story was then made into a feature film in 2003 titled Radio in which he was portrayed by Cuba Gooding Jr.

References

  1. ↑ Smith, Gary (December 16, 1996). "Someone to Lean On". Sports Illustrated . Retrieved September 28, 2023.
  2. ↑ Richard Perez-Pena (2008-09-15). "The Sports Whisperer, Probing Psychic Wounds". The New York Times . Retrieved 2008-09-23.
  3. ↑ Ortiz, Aimee (December 15, 2019). "James Kennedy, Who Inspired the Movie 'Radio,' Dies at 73". New York Times. Retrieved December 16, 2019.
  4. ↑ "Radio". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved 2012-09-22.
  5. ↑ "Radio Reviews, Ratings, Credits, and More". Metacritic. 2003-10-24. Retrieved 2012-09-22.
  6. ↑ "Radio (2003)". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 2012-09-22.
  7. ↑ Radio Soundtrack Filmtracks. Retrieved February 3, 2014
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.