The true life story of Ralph Waldo Petey Greene Jr. In the mid-to-late 1960s in Washington D.C. vibrant soul music and exploding social consciousness were combining to unique and powerful effect. It was the place and time for Petey to fully express himself - sometimes to outrageous effect - and tell it like it is. With the support of his irrepressible and tempestuous girlfriend Vernell the newly minted ex-con talks his way into an on-air radio gig. He forges a friendship and a partnership with fellow prison inmate Milos brother Dewey Hughes. From the first wild morning on the air Petey relies on the more straight-laced Dewey to run interference at WOL-AM where Dewey is the program director. At the station Petey becomes an iconic radio personality surpassing even the established popularity of his fellow disc jockeys Nighthawk and Sunny Jim. Combining biting humor with social commentary Petey openly courts controversy for station owner E.G. Sonderling. Petey was ...
Review
Well done! This movie hooks you initially with its comedy but then evolves into a serious look at not only race relations but every individual's struggle to define himherself. Don Cheadle is so spoton that it's easy to think it was an effortless role for him but that would be shortchanging the man for his talents. But the real bonus of the film for me was discovering the supporting actors I had never heard of Chiwetel Ejiofor or Taraji Henson before but boy I'll be looking for them now. And if all else fails the soundtrack for this movie was more than worth the ticket price! Kudos to Kasi Lemmons the cast and crew!