TALK RADIO
A Review by Bernard Aboba
Copyright (C) 1989, Bernard Aboba. All rights reserved.
TALK RADIO, which stars Eric Bogosian, is loosely constructed around the story of Denver talk show host Alan Berg, who was murdered by members of a Neo-Nazi group.
Like many radio talk shows themselves, the characters are a study in extremes. Bogosian's character, Barry Champlain is an abusive personality, on the air and in his personal life, and his show attracts a mixture of alienated, confused, and at times even criminal characters calling in. Champlain treats the large portion of them with a healthy dose of sarcastic abuse.
The basic premise is that the show is phenomenally popular, so much so that an offer is made to take the show national, while still having it broadcast from its Dallas/Ft. Worth location. The action takes place largely during several days prior to the national syndication in which the show is being evaluated.
The best way to describe the film is unrelenting. Bogosian only turns down the searing anger of the character during periods of remorse, but otherwise it is full speed ahead -- with only occasional treatment of callers and the situations they present with more than sarcasm or disdain. The basic premise seems to be: if you like the show, you're a phony because you're trying to be nice; if you hate it, you have no taste.
In effect there's no way to win with Barry Champlain, as both his ex-wife Ellen and his new lover discover. However, neither Ellen, nor Champlain's new lover, are played with sufficient depth to give them much cinematic weight. This places the spotlight firmly on Bogosian, which gives the film its black and white cast. For example, while one might give Ellen the benefit of the doubt in marrying Champlain in the first place, for her to entertain thoughts of going back to him, and risk her new marriage for those, we need something more than the ditsy performance given us. Like the character Barry Champlain, this movie would have been somewhat better if the star had been willing to step back and let someone else on the stage for a while. Playing supporting actress to Bogosian in this role is a little like playing Bambi against Godzilla in "Bambi meets Godzilla," an underground cartoon with a thoroughly predictable ending. Unfortunately, TALK RADIO is somewhat too predictable as well.
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