Radio Days

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Kyle M Woody Allen’s solidly passionate narration accomplished the time capsule aspect of the titular pastime, emitting much of the same resonance towards the music, but the fundamental narrative of connective threads is variously engaging at an inferior level that’s structurally indifferent albeit occasional humor and attributive nostalgic charm. (B) Rated 3.5/5 Stars •  Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 07/08/25 Full Review Mitch B I absolutely love this movie. The stories and the trip down memory lane to an era I did not get the firsthand experience of living through was a treat. All of the acting was top notch and I look forward to watching this every time I put it in the DVD/Blu-Ray player. Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 07/01/25 Full Review Dani G A compilation of nostalghia, much like Woody does in most of its films. Rated 2.5/5 Stars •  Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 06/30/25 Full Review Maru S Beautiful nostalgic funny movie I enjoy it everytime I se e it Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 12/27/24 Full Review Alexsander F O filme é lindo, é de uma simplicidade. Mia Farrow e Dianne Wiest estão um espetáculo nesse filme, um longa que nos traz grande memória afetiva . Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 05/28/24 Full Review Matthew B Radio Days was the most expensive film that Woody Allen had made up until that point, and it is easy to see where the money went. This sprawling story has a rich gallery of sets and scenes, a larger number of actors and extras than usual, various bands and singers, and the use of age-appropriate props – re-creations of signs from the era, old-fashioned cars and exquisite costumes. Inevitably some short cuts are taken. The scene where a child falls down a well is obviously taking place in a studio where lighting and darkness conceal the low-budget re-enactment of this dramatic event. Nonetheless the film is less thrifty than the average Allen movie, simply by dint of its ambitiousness. Yet this comparatively lavish expenditure did not prevent the film from running at a loss of over a million dollars, and it is easy to understand why. It is not that Radio Days is a bad movie. Sometimes the story meanders, but in an amiable way, and no more than Annie Hall. Admittedly Annie Hall had a more serious thread running through it. Nonetheless this film is charming, warm and funny, and there is much to enjoy. However most audience members are missing an entire dimension of understanding when they watch Radio Days, and I include myself in this. The film dwells in nostalgia for an old era before televisions were found in every house when everyone sat home and listened to the radio. Allen celebrates and affectionately mocks the age when many of the most famous celebrities were radio stars. The film is semi-autobiographical. It is not Allen's real childhood, but a misty, idealised version of it, filmed in colours that are both bright and muted, giving the film a brown look. The opening words of the movie are "Once upon a time…", and this gives us some idea how literally we should take these events. We are seeing the early years of Allen's life as it appears in his fondest memories, not his life as it really happened. The story features a family who may or may not have been Allen's own, and the experiences of a young boy with familiar large glasses, who is naturally interested in kissing girls. (Allen himself does not appear in the film, but he does narrate it.) There is no attempt to offer up all the details of this semi-fictional boy and his family. The focus is on the ways in which their lives related to the radio, the hub of their social interactions and fantasies. The radio shows that they enjoy reflect something of their personalities. Allen shows us the realities of radio broadcasts. We see how they were recorded, and get to meet the stars. In the process, we are given a chance to laugh at the realities of the radio world – the quizzes, dramas, thrillers, chat shows and silly inspirational sports stories. A number "old radio stories" are reeled out too, such as one about the burglars who pick up the phone in a house they are robbing, and find themselves answering music questions on a radio show. The narrating Allen concludes by saying: I've never forgotten any of those people or any of the voices we used to hear on the radio. Although the truth is with the passing of each New Year's those voices do seem to grow dimmer and dimmer. Radio Days constitutes one final attempt to capture those treasured memories on film before those voices disappear forever. I wrote a longer appreciation of Radio Days on my blog page if you would like to read more: https://themoviescreenscene.wordpress.com/2019/05/06/radio-days-1987/ Rated 4/5 Stars •  Rated 4 out of 5 stars 09/05/23 Full Review Read all reviews

Radio Days

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