Talk to Me

One of those biopics that actually kind of rises above the generally useless genre. Here the success falls squarely on the shoulders of the performers. Adding some spice to an otherwise vanilla and disjointed script, Don Cheadle plays real-life ex-con and savvy conman Petey Greene, who back in the ’60s turned around his life to become a popular Beltway disc jockey, and then tried to push his luck beyond the snapping point. At first a manic comedy bursting with energy, Talk to Me manages to pull off the seemingly difficult feat of balancing that with serious themes. It is also a welcome relief to see Cheadle given an opportunity to step out of the gloomy roles that he has become known for and let loose to hone his comedic chops. Backed by Mike Epps and Cedric the Entertainer, if nothing else the cast is a blast.