RADIO INSIDE
US, 1994, 95 minutes, Colour.
William Mc Namara, Elizabeth Shue, Dylan Walsh.
Directed by Jeffrey Bell.
Radio Inside is a little-seen drama of personal interactions. It focuses on two brothers, their relationship, their devotion to their dead father, the pressures of the older brother on his younger, a more academic young man who has a spiritual sense. The younger brother comes back after graduating, tries to settle down, becomes infatuated with his brother's girlfriend, takes up a job as a lifeguard although he is skilled at writing commercials. He also has a religious sense, a kind of radio inside, that enables him at times to see his dead father, to answer phone calls, allegedly from Jesus, to meet him in his imagination and get some guidance for his life.
William Mc Namara usually plays vulnerable young men and does so here (though, at the same time, he played the murderer in Copycat). Elizabeth Shue has great charm in her role as the girlfriend. Dylan Walsh is the older brother.
The film raises some interesting themes - and although the younger brother is described as going to church, there are no scenes of this in the film. Rather, the emphasis is on his own inner spiritual life and values.
1. The style of the film? Content? Relationships? Spiritual dimension?
2. The Florida settings, the town, apartments, swimming pools? The ordinary life, day by day in Florida? The musical score, the songs?
3. The title and its meaning, the credits and the radio? Matt and his inner sense, like a radio attuned to hear and communicate? His seeing his father? His memories? The phone calls from Jesus? Jesus in the commercial? The dinner at the restaurant, the talk with Jesus - but his having telephoned Mike?
4. The character of Matt, seeing him contemplating in the bath, his memories of his childhood, relationship with Mike, the parents? His devotion to his father, the lake, fishing, swimming? The gradual revelation that he was racing with his father, unable to save him from drowning? His feelings of guilt that he let his father drown? His relationship with his brother, coming back home, resisting the pressure for a job? Becoming a lifeguard, his relationship with the children, the white boy and the black boy and their clashes, disciplining them? His training them? His resisting writing copy for the commercials - but doing it as a favour for his brother? At home, alone, his appearance, his father's shirts? The encounters with Natalie, the attraction, accompanying Mike, discussions with her? The dreams and their sexual impact on him? Talking to Jesus about this? Going to the bookshop, accompanying her to the party, the kiss? The effect on him, not wanting to alienate Mike, talking to Natalie and breaking with her? Hurrying to the swimming pool, thinking T.J. had drowned, Mike's glib remarks, his driving, stripping, going into the water with the stones in the haversack, walking along the road, arrested? Mike and his highlighting how Matt took everything to himself, setting himself up as a saviour? The finale with the three of them riding bikes?
5. Mike, six years older than Matt, his relationship with his father, affirmation, but feeling neglected? Busy, seeing him with his staff, the world of commercials? His relationship with Natalie, staying with her, yet offhand, running late, insensitive? Trying to reconcile, their clashes? Not turning up for the party? His realisation of Matt's infatuation, going to the swimming pool, indicating that T.J. had drowned, worried, going to find his brother, the reconciliation - and his humorous remark about the lady cop seeing them? A future?
6. Natalie, in herself, at the bookshop, her work with students, tutoring T.J., his song and reading it to Matt? Her relationship with Mike, the tensions, her anger, breaking the watch, not going to the party? Kissing Matt, her confusion? Her sitting in Matt's imagination as the two brothers talked about the relationship? Going to the swimming pool, her criticism of Mike and what he said? The finale and the three on the bike?
7. The glimpse of the father and mother, the death of the mother, the impact of the father, his love for his children, care for Matt, swimming, drowning? Appearing to his son?
8. Jesus, in Matt's imagination, the phone calls and his knowledge, the references to his mother, the vagrant coming to use the phone and talk to Jesus? In the commercial and its irony? Coming to the restaurant and talking with Matt?
9. T.J. and Leonard, the racial clash, T.J. not being able to swim, pushing others into the water? Matt and his handling of the children? The girls asking him about boredom at the swimming pool? His choice of job and relationship to his father and his father's death?
10. The human themes, the portraits of the brothers, of Natalie? Their interactions, love, betrayal? Parental relationships and children? The religious themes and their being enigmatic and hinted at rather than fully developed?
