Retro review: Talk Radio

A review by Brooks Rich

A new segment starting here on the blog today where any film from the early days of silent cinema to the current big budget blockbusters can be reviewed if any of us writers haven't seen it. Kicking off the retro reviews with Oliver Stone's 1988 film Talk Radio, starring Eric Bogosian, Alec Baldwin, John C. McGinley, Ellen Greene, and Leslie Hope.

Bogosian is Barry Champlain, a Jewish late night radio personality in Dallas, Texas. Against his wishes, his show is about to go national and he is being pressured to tone himself down. Champlain refuses as he is known mostly for his caustic attacks on callers. The film explores Barry's personal and professional life and the impact they have on each other. (I am purposefully being vague in my description, as there are going to be people who enjoy this film and I am not a spoiler.)

I wanted to love this movie. I am a huge fan of Eric Bogosian and the screenplay is based off his 1987 play of the same name. It is also adapted from a book by Stephen Singular called Talked To Death: The Life and Murder of Alan Berg. The main idea is solid and Bogosian does an amazing job as the irascible and, at times, unlikeable Barry. The film has a lot to say about our interest in the lowlifes of the world and why entertainment centered around what some would call "trailer trash" is so popular. Barry's callers are the struggling, and sometimes disturbed people who come out at night, who don't live normal lives. The relationships, both good and bad, between Barry's callers are fascinating, and they articulate some of the strongest points of the film.

The main problem? Oliver Stone is the weak link. I am not a huge fan of Stone and I think Born on the 4th of July and Platoon are two of the worst films ever made. I went into this with an open mind, though I never fully got into it... It kept me at arms length. I think it's Stone direction. There's this pageantry he brings that doesn't always work, or is needed. Sometimes directors need to be quieter, more in the background. A film about a late night shock jock that takes place in the studio needs a subtleR approach than what Stone brings Here . I always feeL like he's trying to outdo himself, in almost every film he makes.

Like I said, there are people who will like this film. I don't hate it,but I wish I liked it more. I come down in the middle. I like it better than most Stone films, but JFK is still the best.

Rating: 3/5

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