Talk to Me (2007 film)
| Talk to Me | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Kasi Lemmons |
| Written by | Michael Genet Rick Famuyiwa |
| Produced by | Don Cheadle |
| Starring | Don Cheadle Chiwetel Ejiofor Taraji P. Henson Cedric the Entertainer Mike Epps |
| Cinematography | Stéphane Fontaine |
| Edited by | Kenny Marsten |
| Music by | Terence Blanchard |
| Distributed by | Focus Features |
Release dates |
|
Running time | 118 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Box office | $4,778,376 |
Talk To Me is a 2007 biographical film about Washington, D.C. radio personality Ralph "Petey" Greene, an ex-con who became a popular talk show host and community activist, and Dewey Hughes, his friend and manager. The movie spans the time period May 1966 to January 1984, ending with the late Greene's memorial service.
The film premiered as the opening night film of the 2007 Los Angeles Film Festival, on June 22, 2007. It opened in North America in a limited release on July 13, 2007 and nationwide on August 3, 2007. The film was shot in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada and Washington, DC.[1]
Cast
- Don Cheadle as Ralph Greene
- Chiwetel Ejiofor as Dewey Hughes
- Taraji P. Henson as Vernell Watson
- Cedric the Entertainer as "Nighthawk" Bob Terry
- Mike Epps as Milo Hughes
- Martin Sheen as E.G. Sonderling
- Vondie Curtis Hall as Sunny Jim Kelsey
- Richard Chevolleau as Poochie Braxton
- Alison Sealy-Smith as Freda
- Elle Downs as Peaches
- Herbert L. Rawlings, Jr. as James Brown
- Damir Andrei as Frederick de Cordova
- Jim Malmberg as Johnny Carson
Reception
The film received favorable reviews from critics. Review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes gives the film a score of 82% based on reviews from 126 critics.[2] On Metacritic, the film had an average score of 69%, based on 32 reviews.[3]
Criticism over inaccuracies
The film has been criticized for allegedly not being true to the details of his life and career and for inventing incidents and rearranging locations, such as Petey's appearance on The Tonight Show, which never actually took place.[4]
Greene's surviving family members did not cooperate with the making of the film and criticized it for taking liberties with his portrayal and those around him,[5] such as showing Dewey Hughes giving a moving eulogy at Petey's wake, when in reality Hughes did not even attend the funeral.
In response to these criticisms, producer Joe Fries responded that the film was merely "inspired by" Greene and not a factual recounting of his life.
Awards and nominations
- African-American Film Critics
- Best Director: Kasi Lemmons (Winner)
- Best Actor: Don Cheadle (Winner)
- Best Supporting Actor: Chiwetel Ejiofor (Winner)
- Image Awards
- Outstanding Motion Picture (Nominated)
- Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture: Don Cheadle (Nominated)
- Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture: Taraji P. Henson (Nominated)
- Outstanding Director in a Motion Picture: Kasi Lemmons (Winner)
- Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture: Chiwetel Ejiofor (Nominated)
- Outstanding Writing for a Motion Picture: Michael Genet & Rick Famuyiwa (Winner)
- Independent Spirit Awards
- Best Male Lead: Don Cheadle (Nominated)
- Best Supporting Male: Chiwetel Ejiofor (Winner)
- Gotham Awards
- Best Ensemble (Winner)
- Satellite Awards
- Best Actor in a Musical/Comedy: Don Cheadle (Nominated)
- Best Supporting Actress: Taraji P. Henson (Nominated)
References
- ^ "Internet Movie Database - List of Films shot in Hamilton, Ontario". Retrieved 2008-01-29.
- ^ "Talk to Me". Rotten Tomatoes. Flixster. Retrieved 2007-10-24.
- ^ "Talk to Me (2007): Reviews". Metacritic. CBS. Retrieved 2007-10-24.
- ^ "The real Petey Greene"
- ^ Tucker, Neely. "Left Out of the Picture". The Washington Post. Retrieved May 24, 2010.