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Talk to Me

Play trailer Poster for Talk to Me R 2007 1h 58m Biography Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
82% Tomatometer 130 Reviews 77% Popcornmeter 25,000+ Ratings
Outspoken ex-convict Ralph Petey Greene talks his way onto the air at a white-owned radio station in the 1960s Washington, D.C. Fueled by the new music and social upheaval of the times, he courts controversy while becoming the voice of the black movement.
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Talk to Me

Talk to Me

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Critics Consensus

A riveting look at the life of legendary DJ "Petey" Greene, Talk to Me goes beyond the typical biopic with explosive performances from Don Cheadle and Chiwetal Ejiofor.

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Critics Reviews

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Richard Brody The New Yorker 04/27/2020
Don Cheadle brings sharp humor and deep passion to his portrayal of the Washington, D.C., disk jockey and talk-show host Petey Greene in this historically vital and acute bio-pic... Go to Full Review
George Palathingal Sydney Morning Herald 02/22/2008
3/4
It's a visually and aurally riveting trip to an important time from a perspective few here will know, about a person worth meeting. Go to Full Review
Derek Malcolm London Evening Standard 11/23/2007
2/5
A stronger screenplay and more sensitive direction would have made this movie into something far more genuinely uplifting than it is. Go to Full Review
Toni Vall Cinemanía (Spain) 11/05/2020
3.5/5
A proposal full of self-confidence and expressive force. [Full review in Spanish] Go to Full Review
Kaleem Aftab The List 11/03/2018
3/5
Though funny in places, the film lacks any decent secondary characters... but it's easy to see why Lemmons would decide to keep the camera as much as possible on the two excellent central performances. Go to Full Review
Brandy McDonnell The Oklahoman 08/15/2018
4/4
Cheadle's skillful performance makes Petey a flawed hero worth rooting for, even when his actions offend. Ejiofor also impresses with his subtle turn as the conflicted, success-hungry Dewey. In addition, the film boasts an excellent sound track. Go to Full Review
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Audience Reviews

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prawnda S @RT72497680 1h it has a few funny moments, but overall it's a very tired and derivative story that randomly derails itself to talk about martin luther king for the whole 2nd act, and then the third act is just too underdeveloped and ends with an extremely sappy funeral sequence. the director gutted a biopic about petey green so that she could make it about the most overhyped civil rights figure of all time, and then by the time she got back to petey he was dead. See more thiago s @Thiagostone Dec 18 Filme fraco, o roteiro é fraco, as cenas são fracas, a história é fraca, o elenco é fraco, e ninguém ajuda a melhorar o filme, os personagens são fracos, e o filme deveria ter cenas bem melhores e relevantes, para fazer o filme ser bom See more Stephen C @bob25009 05/28/2025 1 hour and 58 minutes based on a successfully true story. Rated R for Some Sexual Content and Pervasive Language!!!!!!!! Starring Don Cheadle, Martin Sheen, and Cedric the Entertainer. See more Kyle M @RT77296778 07/16/2024 Brilliantly casted magnetic performances, at discovered peaks, electrifies this skillfully written, exceptionally tuned, utterly entertaining drama. (B+) See more 07/14/2023 Good not great Cheadle and Ejiofor make quite the budding pair Taraji P. Henson is so fine in this too See more isla s @RT89656869 09/03/2022 This is a fairly run of the mill type bio drama film. It has decent enough performances and the backdrop of the civil rights movement makes it somewhat thought provoking, although I wouldn't say this film is entirely about that but more its an element of the plot. I liked that the main character, Petey, is a very honest person and tells things as they are. There were some fairly amusing moments with the radio boss, E.G. Sonderling, played by Martin Sheen, not best pleased with the new found supposed talent that is rushed on to his stations airwaves. The story is interesting, in as much as its based on a true story but I don't think there's much else I can say about it. If it sounds particularly interesting or relevant to you, then yes I'd recommend it, otherwise maybe not. See more Read all reviews
Talk to Me

My Rating

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Movie Info

Synopsis Outspoken ex-convict Ralph Petey Greene talks his way onto the air at a white-owned radio station in the 1960s Washington, D.C. Fueled by the new music and social upheaval of the times, he courts controversy while becoming the voice of the black movement.
Director
Kasi Lemmons
Producer
Joe Fries, Mark Gordon, Sidney Kimmel, Josh McLaughlin
Screenwriter
Michael Genet, Rick Famuyiwa
Distributor
Focus Features
Production Co
Mark Gordon Productions, Pelagius Films, Sidney Kimmel Entertainment
Rating
R (Some Sexual Content|Pervasive Language)
Genre
Biography, Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Jul 13, 2007, Limited
Release Date (Streaming)
Mar 18, 2014
Box Office (Gross USA)
$4.5M
Runtime
1h 58m
Sound Mix
Dolby SRD, DTS
Aspect Ratio
Scope (2.35:1)