Wednesday, February 28, 2007

Scene 8

This scene shows Coach Jones and Radio sitting in a cafe. They are becoming friendlier. The Coach is viewing Radio as a human being, and is concerned about what will happen to him after the football season ends.

We are shown that people still are questioning Radio being around. He has given away plays, caused the team to have trouble (unsportsmanlike conduct penalties). Despite this unplanned event, the team does turn around the score and takes a win over 'Westside', their opponent.

After the game, Coach Jones thanks the team members by giving them an inspirational talk. He gives Radio the game ball.

Scene 7

We meet Principal Daniels. She is a black, female principal who seems very strong in her role. She speaks to Coach Jones at school about concerns regarding Radio going with them on the trip. She questions the Coach's motives, and asks if Radio is a 'glorified mascot'. She talks to Coach Jones about concerns she has about 'being around a mentally challenged boy'. Principal Daniels says "Folks don't understand yet; but they'll catch on."

Eventually after their discussion, the Coach changes his mind about Radio attending the trip. He told Radio that he couldn't come, and the scene ends with Radio standing in the pouring rain as the football team bus pulls away. Radio stands in the rain listening to the radio and acting out the plays as he hears them called out.

Scene 6

Some comments are shared with Coach Jones regarding Radio participating in the football team events. The Coach speaks to Mrs. Kennedy to see if she minds if Radio goes on a trip with the team. In this discussion, she expresses her concern about the authorities, and "only needing 1 excuse to put him away." Coach Jones feels empathy for her and Radio.

Scene 5

Coach Jones is shown gearing up the team for upcoming games. He introduces Radio to the team as their mascot. He explains to the players his role and tells them that they're not going to have a problem with that. Throughout the practice, some of the team members tease Radio, and make fun of him.

The scene moves on to the next football game for the team. Radio accidentally participates in the game. The fans in the stands start to question why Radio is there.

By participating in the team situation, Radio feels pride, and includes him in a social setting.

Scene 4

We are finally introduced directly to Radio. The Coach approaches him at the fence after a football game and offers Radio water. Following that, he invited Radio to come into the office and have some hamburgers and coke. After entering the office, Radio sees the radio on the counter and is immediately drawn to it.

After they are finished their meal, Coach Jones drives Radio home. He is friendly to him, and works on establishing a relationship with him. When they arrive at Radio's house, we meet Mrs. Kennedy, Radio's mother. Coach Jones introduces himself and explains why he gave Radio a ride.

We learn that Mrs. Kennedy is a supportive, single mother. She is a nurse and has to work long hours. As a result, Radio doesn't have as much supervision as necessary. Her husband has passed away, and her older son Walter does not live at home. Mrs. Kennedy explains Radio's condition to the Coach. We later find out that Mrs. Kennedy has a heart condition.

Scene 3

Scene 3 shows Coach Jones using his expertise and leading his team to victory in a football game. Radio watches him, and the Coach notices him as well. As a ritual after each football game, the locals gathered at the barbershop to discuss how the game went. Everyone puts in their two cents. Some of these people are peers of the Coach, some are townsfolk, and others are parents of the football players. One of the people at the barbershop asks the Coach about his plan to win, and he chooses not to share it.

Scene 2

In the second scene, we are introduced to Coach Jones. He is a prominant highschool football coach at Hanna Highschool. He is well liked, and respected throughout the community. He has a solid reputation for making good decisions, and has past football championships to support his reputation.

In the scene, the football team is practising. There is an emphasis on teamwork. Radio watches the team from afar behind a fence.

The focus of the scene changes to the Coach returning to his own home. We are introduced to his wife Linda, and daughter Mary Helen. The coach uses a phrase with his wife and daughter that said "You work hard, play hard, and then succeed." This seemed to be a life motto that he was discussing with them. The fact that the Coach doesn't relate well to his daughter Mary Helen is shared with the audience.

Some discrimination on the part of the football players was shown towards Radio. The Coach finds his players tormenting Radio. They locked him in a shed with his hands and mouth bound by tape. The door of the shed was shut, with all lights off. The players proceeded to throw footballs against the outside of the shed door. These actions terrified Radio, who had very little communication skills.

Eventually when the Coach realised what was happening, he released Radio, and tried to sooth him. Coach Jones asked the group for an explanation. They were punished for their actions. It was at this point in the movie that the Coach empathized with Radio and began to establish a relationship with him.

Coach Jones meets Radio and apologizes for what happened to him. The Coach invited Radio to come to the football practice. When the Coach returns home that evening, his wife questions his priorities in terms of the amount of time that he spends with the football team, and his attention towards his daughter Mary Helen. We are further introduced to the Coach's daughter Mary Helen. She is a cheerleader at Hanna Highschool, and cheers when her father's football team plays.

Scene 1

The first scene of the movie introduces us to Radio. He is depicted as being poor. He is shown pushing around a shopping cart walking around the town, entertaining himself. His actions imply that he may have special needs. Other people in the community avoid him. He enjoys listening to the radio. A significant point in this scene is that the intolerance of people towards Radio is shown.

Monday, February 26, 2007

Main Characters


Coach Jones (played by Ed Harris)

Coach Jones is a leader, seasoned educator and sports coach at Hanna High. He has a family consisting of a wife and teenage daughter. He is well respected in the community for his professional opinion and expertise in sports. In the past, no one questioned Coach Jones' judgement, until now.


Radio (played by Cuba Gooding Jr.)


Radio is a teenage boy with special education needs. At present, he does not attend highschool as his age appropriate peers do. He is fully grown. He appears to be shy, and most often keeps to himself. He can communicate using basic language but cannot read or write. Prior to meeting Coach Jones, he is never shown with peers, or interacting with other people besides his mother. Radio also plays the role of a leader but in a different respect as compared to Coach Jones.


Mrs. Linda Jones (played by Debra Winger)

Mrs. Jones plays the traditionally historical role of the happy housemaker. She is always available to cater to the needs of Coach Jones when he arrives home from practice or other outings. She is shown completing various domestic activities such as cooking, and sewing. She is the primary careprovider for their teenage daughter. Mrs. Jones supports the activities of Coach Jones, but from time to time can be the voice of reason.


Principal Daniels

Principal Daniels is the Principal of Hanna Highschool. She is a middle age black woman in the southern states. The fact that she is a racial minority and female in this position is unique to the area of the United States and the time period the movie was framed in. Principal Daniels is level headed. She takes her position very seriously. She has a well established relationship with Coach Jones. Mrs. Daniels is initially somewhat fearful of the presence of students with special educational needs in the school. Principal Daniels plays the leadership role as the head of the highschool.

Honeycutt

Honeycutt is Coach Jones' coaching partner. Together, they run the athletics department of Hanna High. Honeycutt is the assistant coach of the football team, and the head coach of the basketball team. Honeycutt has a mild manner about him, and respects Coach Jones' judgement. He frequently carries out the requests of Coach Jones without question. Although Honeycutt is not the head of the athletic department, he plays a leadership role in that students look up to him in the coaching realm he fulfills throughout the storyline.

Frank Clay

Frank Clay is the Bank Manager of the bank in Anderson. He is also the father of Johnny Clay, star athlete of Hanna High. Frank is shown mostly throughout the movie as a spectator at the sporting events held by the school. He can be opinionated in questioning the coaching decisions of Coach Jones and Honeycutt during and after sporting events at Hanna Highschool. Frank holds a prestigious position in the community as Bank Manager. This position is associated with the management of money, which relates to prestige and power. He is revered by many folk of the community as they would have to approach him with personal requests for money throughout their lifetimes. Therefore, any relationship with Frank must stay positive or his connection with money at the bank could come back and haunt an individual for a long time.

Mary Helen

Mary Helen is the daughter of Coach Jones. She is a typical teenage girl who also is a cheerleader for Hanna High. She seems well adjusted, and is an only child. She has some friends and is social with them. She does not have a great relationship with her father. She rarely sees him, and he is not in touch with what is happening in her life. Despite the fact that Mary Helen is a cheerleader at the same sporting events that her father coaches at, she does not spend much time with him. Her role in the plot of the story is to show that even though Coach Jones is reknown for his contributions to Hanna High, he has one area of his life that is not perfect; his relationship with his daughter.


Mrs. Kennedy

Mrs. Kennedy is Radio's mother. She is a black, middle aged widow working many hours as a nurse to support Radio and herself. She lives in a small, run down area of the community. Mrs. Kennedy toils in life to make ends meet. She is compassionate towards Radio because of his condition, and does much to protect him. She shows appreciation for Coach Jones' interest in Radio as being sincere and well meaning.

Johnny Clay

Johnny Clay is the highschool jock or sports allstar. He has a cocky attitude that depicts a sense of entitlement. He is the leader of the football and basketball teams. His fellow team members look up to him for leadership and example. They follow him. He is attempting to impress sports scouts throughout the film to earn himself a scholarship to a good university. He is ruthless to achieve his own goals. He mistreats Radio throughout the movie.

Plot Synopsis

Imagine Anderson, South Carolina in the 1970s. Hot, steamy weather, civil rights movements and a focus on desegregation. The movie RADIO is about a teenage boy named James Robert Kennedy, or Radio for short. Radio is mentally challenged. A local high school football coach named Coach Jones meets Radio and they develop a friendship. The movie outlines the development of their friendship, and the evolution of Radio as a human being. The impact of his evolution helps to transform a community. This film is “for anyone who ever had a dream and everyone with the courage to stand up for what they believe in.” (http://movies.about.com/)

Video Promotion Clip

Please hit the following link to view a promotional clip from the movie RADIO.

http://www.sonypictures.com/previews/player/homevideo/radio/index.html