LYCOS RETRIEVER 
Radio (2003): Coach Jones
built 272 days ago
James Robert Kennedy--nicknamed âRadioâ because of his vintage radio collection and his love of music--is a loner in Anderson, South Carolina, pushing his ever-present grocery cart up and down the streets. He speaks to no one and is rarely spoken to, until one day, Coach Harold Jones, one of the townâs most respected men, and coach of the popular high school football team, befriends him. Radio is suspicious at first. But Coach Jones is persistent, even enlisting the help of Radioâs mother. Jonesâ friends and family are taken aback as well since, until he met Radio, all his energies were poured exclusively into football. Slowly, Coach Jones earns Radioâs trust and opens up a new world to him.
Source:
Somewhat unevenly scripted by veteran ‘mentor’ movie writer Mike Rich (“Finding Forrester”) “Radio” tries a bit too hard to make a hero of its protagonist. By the film’s end, Radio has brought Coach Jones closer to his family, and everyone except the hard-headed father (Chris Mulkey) of Harris’ star athlete (Riley Smith) has come to respect the perpetual high school junior- a predictable outcome made plausible by Gooding Jr.’s lovable- yet surprisingly three dimensional- portrayal. While the message of the movie is commendable, the script sacrifices dimension, leaving several subplots- and many characters- underdeveloped. For example, race is rarely addressed, and though the high school principal, well played by Alfre Woodard, is black and female, black students are hard to spot in Hanna High School’s halls. I ... wondered why Winger’s character narrates the movie, considering she’s onscreen for about fifteen minutes of it. And though the truth-based film, inspired by a 1997 Sports Illustrated article by Gary Smith, includes real life footage of Radio and Coach Jones, it doesn’t succeed in rendering the sugar coated story more authentic. By attempting to portray the still-living characters correctly, the movie ends up representing types instead of complex people.
Source:
Hollywood filmmaker Michael Tollin directs the sports drama Radio, based on a true story and adapted for the screen by Mike Rich (The Rookie). Set in a small South Carolina town during the '60s, the film stars Ed Harris as Harold Jones, a high school football coach who barely has time to spend with his daughter, Mary Helen (Sarah Drew), or his wife, Linda (Debra Winger). When Coach Jones meets the mentally challenged student who goes by the name of Radio (Cuba Gooding Jr.), he allows him to help out with his football team. While the townsfolk just aren't sure about Radio hanging around the team, the star player Johnny Clay (Riley Smith) is downright mean about it. Nevertheless, Radio continues to support the team for the next three decades. Also starring Alfre Woodard as the principal. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, All Movie Guide
Source:
The movie is based on the real life story of the relationship between a high school football coach, Coach Jones, and a mentally disabled man known to most as Radio. Their unlikely friendship has spanned a 30-year period and has changed the school, T.L. Hanna High School, and the small southern town. The movie stars Cuba Gooding Jr. as Radio and Ed Harris as Coach Jones. The cast ... includes Debra Winger and several other familiar faces. The "real" Radio lives in Anderson, South Carolina.
Source:
A small-town high school football coach (Ed Harris) befriends an illiterate, developmentally disabled man (Cuba Gooding Jr.) nicknamed "Radio," who has always been the target of jokes and teasing. Although their friendship raises eyebrows at first, Radio's growth under the coach's guidance ultimately inspires the local townsfolk. Based on the true story of the life of James Robert Kennedy.
Source:
Anachronisms: The sunglasses that Coach wears are Ray-Bans, as you can see by the logo painted on the lens as he takes Radio home. But Ray-Ban did not start putting the logo on the lenses until the late-'80s. more
Source:
MORE ABOUT
Coach Jones