TALK TO ME
Lively entertainment, shallow ideology, and obscene language make this adults-only.
Should You Watch It?
TALK TO ME offers lively entertainment and a strong central performance. Don Cheadle is excellent as fast-talking radio personality Ralph “Petey” Greene, while Taraji P. Henson nearly steals the movie as Petey’s boisterous but caring girlfriend. The scenes surrounding Martin Luther King’s assassination are powerful and emotional.
The movie also carries a liberal, non-religious perspective that the source considers shallow in its treatment of social and political issues. Its R rating reflects abundant obscene language, sexual immorality, off-color humor, and other adult content.
If you are a discerning adult who can engage the film’s ideas without absorbing its worldview, it has enough dramatic and historical interest to merit a viewing. WORTH THE TRIP — ADULTS ONLY.
The Story
NO SPOILERS — WE KEEP THE SURPRISESIn 1960s and early-1970s Washington, D.C., ex-convict Ralph “Petey” Greene approaches Dewey Hughes, the newly promoted program manager of WOL-AM, hoping for a job. Petey’s fast talk, humor, and unusual ability to connect with African American listeners eventually earn him a morning radio show.
As Petey’s popularity grows, Dewey becomes his manager and friend. Their relationship is tested when Dewey pushes Petey toward television and stand-up comedy.
Is It Any Good?
Three stars means this is an entertaining, worthwhile drama with noticeable weaknesses. The movie is lively, funny, and dramatic, and Cheadle and Chiwetel Ejiofor are excellent as Petey and Dewey. Henson gives a particularly memorable performance as Petey’s girlfriend.
The film lacks profundity, and its second half becomes slow and strained. The script also does not always make the root causes of Petey’s objections to Dewey’s management clear. Even so, the performances and emotional historical scenes give the movie real appeal.
The Worldview
TALK TO ME presents the racial and social tensions of the 1960s from a liberal perspective. It includes some moral and Christian elements, especially in its attack on racism and in its depiction of a radio host helping calm Washington, D.C., after riots and looting following Martin Luther King’s assassination.
The source review finds the movie’s political analysis shallow. Although the film emphasizes “telling it like it is,” it does not seriously address the broader social and political issues behind its themes. Its secular outlook also associates freedom and human fulfillment more with political ideology than with the Gospel.
The film’s central longing is freedom from the illusions that enslave people. Scripture gives that freedom a deeper source: “So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed” (John 8:36).
The Content Guide
The specifics — spoilers included by nature — so you can judge for your own family.
Content Summary
Light humanist worldview from a strong liberal perspective about the social and racial tensions of the 1960s, plus some light Christian and moral elements, especially regarding the movie’s attack on racism and its powerful scenes where a liberal deejay helps calm the nation’s capitol when riots and looting break out in the wake of the assassination of Civil Rights leader Martin Luther King, mitigated by some paganism leading to a free use of foul language and some sexual libertinism, which always seem to accompany atheist humanism and what passes for liberalism during and after the 1960s; at least 134 obscenities (including many “f” words), 16 strong profanities, five light profanities, and drunken man in two scenes vomits and nervous man vomits in another scene; some strong scenes of violent riots and some violent arguments; brief scene of depicted fornication, implied fornication and some off-color remarks; upper and rear male nudity, plus some female cleavage; alcohol use and drunkenness; smoking and light drug references; and, employee disobeys boss, friends have a falling out, looting rebuked, cheating, and man shows up late for concert he’s supposed to introduce.
Talk About It
Questions for the drive home, the dinner table, or the youth group.
Petey’s radio program speaks to people about the racial and social tensions of its time. How can Christians pursue justice without allowing political ideology to replace biblical truth?
Micah 6:8 · Ephesians 4:15The film presents public influence as a form of power. What responsibilities come with having a voice that reaches many people?
James 3:1 · Proverbs 12:18The movie’s idea of freedom is broader than political or personal independence. What does Jesus say true freedom is freedom from?
John 8:31–36The story includes conflict between friends and managers. What does Scripture teach about handling disagreement before it destroys a relationship?
Ephesians 4:26–27, 31–32The Final Word
TALK TO ME is lively, funny, dramatic, and well-acted, but its shallow liberal ideology and abundant adult content demand discernment. For a mature viewer prepared to weigh those concerns, our answer is WORTH THE TRIP — ADULTS ONLY. Families seeking cleaner viewing should choose from.
