Review of Talk Radio (1988) by Benjamin H — 22 Sep 2011
Talk Radio is a havy-handed treatment of Eric Bogosian's superb stage play; Oliver Stone has never been famous for his subtlety or minimalism and he's having a hard time dealing with it, adding dramatic camera angles and lighting effects that don't always compliment the dialog.
But it's still understated compared to Stone's other films, and his over-the-top touches aren't enough to really detract from the excellent text or from Bogosian's brilliant performance, that makes every expression and every facial twitch count, although they do spoil the ending.
The film's great moments are its smallest, the ones where Bogosian is alone with his microphone, and in those moments it's truly a disturbing pleasure. With a more fitting director - maybe Scorsese, maybe Jarmusch or Lumet - it could have been a masterpiece, instead it's a solid and effective film that has stood the test of time surprisingly well and still packs a punch.
This review of Talk Radio (1988) was written by Benjamin H on 22 Sep 2011.
Talk Radio has generally received positive reviews.
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