Movie Notes: Radio Days

June 29th, 2009

= 3 stars

Starring Julie Kavner, Dianne Wiest, Mia Farrow
Directed by Woody Allen

Synopsis

A heartwarming nostalgia trip to World War II America when radio was a primary form of entertainment.

The Good

• Overarching theme of nostalgia, and Allen’s love for radio. The film is a period piece, and has a structure is a serious of moderately amusing bits. It’s almost a return to Allen’s earlier films containing bit comedy (Take The Money And Run) but applying the higher production values and a period settings of others (The Purple Rose Of Cairo).
• Instead of the Allen character, we have Allen’s narration and a much younger kid (Seth Green) playing Allen as a young boy. Also worth noting is Diane Keaton’s appearance near film’s end as a singer.
• While the film is overwhelmingly comic, there are some needed splashes of seriousness: Aunt Bea’s unsuccessful searches for love, and a sudden, jarring radio news broadcast of a girl who has fallen down a well.

The Bad

• Probably due to my age, the radio theme wasn’t enough to sustain my interest, plus the overarching focus on radio seems to override the characters.

Conclusion

Radio Days is festooned a glittery, professional sheen, but at this point in Allen’s career I can’t help but expect more. It’s particularly telling that as a climax, we’re offered Diane Keaton singing a song, which calls up nostalgic memories for Allen’s earlier Annie Hall — making me feel that most likely, listening to the genuine article would be better than the homage presented here.

Next Woody Allen Movie: September
Previous Woody Allen Movie: Hannah And Her Sisters

IMDB: Radio Days
Wikipedia: Radio Days
Rotten Tomatoes: Radio Days 95%