Talk To Me

Aroview: Don Cheadle talks the talk and walks the walk in a dynamite turn as ex-con turned people’s provocateur Ralph Waldo ‘Petey’ Greene Jr., an unheralded, straight-shooting Washington talk show host and ‘60s activist who garnered a sizable fanbase on account of his charismatically fearless personality.

From a humble beginning, Greene’s rise to fame (and eventual fall) is soundtracked by a string of funk and soul classics, which help to enliven what is essentially a run-of-the-mill Hollywood biopic that favours formulaic tribute over the ugly truth. Bland storytelling aside, Cheadle is positively magnetic here, channelling peacock pimps and blaxploitation hustlers in a role he was born to play, while the always-excellent Ejiofor captivates again with a sturdy, soulful performance.

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