MovieChat Forums > Radio (2003) Discussion > THE DAD WAS RIGHT TO BE UPSET

THE DAD WAS RIGHT TO BE UPSET

posted 14 years ago by arazi25
15 replies | jump to latest

I know everyone's all in love with this HEARTWARMING tale about Radio, but let me tell you I would have been mad too if I was the dad.

Its great that Radio spread all this goodwill and affection, but the idea of painting Johnny Clay's dad as some anti-hero, or some devil because he was concerned about his son's life is totally ludicrous. Radio was the devil.

Now him getting locked in the shed was wrong, that is true. But him running into the girls locker room was his fault. You want your daughters subjected to an adult running in their dressing room? you would be enraged!

The cop only was doing his job when he arrested Radio.

It was indeed trespassing on folks property.
But no! Coach Jones gotta give the death stare to a law enforcement official like he's the bad guy or something.

The dad was a sucessful banker in the town and wanted his son to succeed and be better than him. For coach to throw the kid up against a trophy case was grounds for a lawsuit.

To insult a school board supervisor and threaten him was out of line also. People were only trying to do their jobs.

I understand that every film needed a bad guy to fuel its message, but the dad had good intentions. Fathers want whats best for their sons. Your high school years come and go. You enjoy the hell out of it, and then its off to the realities of the real world.

The dad just wanted the best for his son. Radio was basically a liability and created a huge distraction that whole season. High school is for the kids in it to enjoy. Thats their time. Thats all that father wanted.

Hell, didn't Radio get a chance to attend high school on his own time? Dont steal the shine away from the kids.

Coach Jones couldnt even devote any time to his own daughter 'cause its all about Radio. And she damn right had a reason to be upset with her dad. She needed him. She was going off to College in a year. Hell, radio stayed at the damn school for 50 years.

This dude practically took over the whole school with his craving for attention and the spotlight. Its all about him.

Every graduation ceremony, every sporting event, every facet of the day is all about Radio. It made me sick. Some kid needs an after-school tutoring time that is spent teaching radio how to make loop-de-loops! IMPRESSIVE.

Radio should have been a paid employee and nothing more.

[–] HeywoodJablomy 14 years ago

the idea of painting Johnny Clay's dad as some anti-hero, or some devil because he was concerned about his son's life is totally ludicrous. Radio was the devil.

Frank wasn't really concerned about his son's life as much as he wanted the Yellow Jackets to have a winning football season. That wouldn't have a great impact on Johnny's life now, would it? And in what way was Radio "the devil"?

The cop only was doing his job when he arrested Radio. It was indeed trespassing on folks property.

That's not why he stopped and questioned Radio. He assumed (incorrectly) that Radio was in possession of stolen property. I wouldn't say the cop did something terrible, but it was presumptuous and overzealous of him to make that assumption.

The dad just wanted the best for his son. Radio was basically a liability and created a huge distraction that whole season. High school is for the kids in it to enjoy. Thats their time. Thats all that father wanted.

Frank wanted his son's football team to win and go to the state championship. What kind of man is Johnny going to become when the lessons he learns are "win at all costs" and "torment and disregard people who are weaker and less fortunate than yourself"?

Radio should have been a paid employee and nothing more.

That wouldn't have made for much of a movie, would it?

[–] arazi25 14 years ago

I do believe Radio was the Devil because of the rift he caused due to his selfish nature. He wanted to milk the situation for all it was worth.

His 'wish' to remain in elebenfh grade for eternity was truly a desperate attempt to extend his 15 minutes of fame.

The two gay dudes at the Barber Shop and all the boosters at the shop had just as much love for the game. Maybe Radio could have joined their booster club or something if he wanted in.

Or how about just buy a ticket like everyone in the stands??

[–] balboafan591 14 years ago

arazi25 be trollin

TEAM KELLERMAN - "And when they come for us... we're gonna take as many of them with us as we can."

[–] YankeeDood 14 years ago

Yup, a trolling douche nozzle.

Miss The Old USA Network?
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/oldusanetwork

[–] MrSirreal 14 years ago

My feeling was that the conflict concerning Chris Mulkey's character was contrived. A story does need interesting conflict, so something had to be made up. There were other types of conflict, but no real antagonist(except for the players at the beginning), so the screenwriter inserted a solid antagonist into the story in the form of the dad.

Although the story was heartwarming, there probably just wasn't enough to the real Radio's life for a full-length movie, so some drama was added. It's frequently done in biographical movies.

As to your claim that Radio was the devil, due to his self-centeredness(of course he would be self-centered, just as a child with the same mental capacity is self-centered, right?). Your point-by-point diatribe against the guy makes me wonder if you are a basically unhappy soul who is jealous of the love received by this mentally challenged person. Or possibly a troll trying to provoke people...

I'm no criminal. I can't even sell retail...and that's legal!--Judge Reinhold

[–] arazi25 14 years ago

You make an excellent point. A child with the same mental capacity would act the same way. Radio isn't a child anymore though. He's a man, and he's lived his childhood. All that attention showered upon him was totally undeserved.
What did Radio really do that was so heroic? Nothing really. What was to be celebrated here?

I have nothing against the mentally challenged. I just feel like they shouldnt be used as live mascots thats all.

[–] shjamieson 14 years ago

actually it doesn't sound like you're concerned about him at all, you're just whining and complaining that a mentally disabled person got to be a contributing member of his community. Wah wah.

[–] KillerMovieMan 14 years ago

@MrSirreal I get the feeling that your second to last sentence is pretty accurate or the OP didn't live up to his Daddy's expectations and is looking for a scapegoat.......Truth be told I'm hoping you last sentence is the correct answer and it's just a troll.

"Make like that's a nipple"John Bernard Books

[–] Pyromania 12 years ago

The only thing I can think of to explain arazi25's level of hatred and ignorance in their post is that they are indeed Johnny Clay's dad and were upset at their own portrayal in the movie.

Either that or hateful troll.

One or the other.

[–] xraywoman 14 years ago

"The dad just wanted the best for his son. Radio was basically a liability and created a huge distraction that whole season. High school is for the kids in it to enjoy. Thats their time. Thats all that father wanted.

Hell, didn't Radio get a chance to attend high school on his own time? Dont steal the shine away from the kids. "

The single most important role of the public school is to educate the public. Radio was a member of the public, and he taught others some very important lessons. I'm sorry that public education failed to impart these tenets of democracy on you.

[–] YankeeDood 14 years ago

You're a total douche and it sounds like you're a fascist too with that attitude.
Clay's dad was the evil one who was prejudiced towards retarded individuals and probably blacks in general, a real hater. Radio worked hard to reach the level he did and that is a great accomplishment in my book.

Miss The Old USA Network?
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/oldusanetwork

[–] arazi25 13 years ago

All the name calling should stop....

I still stand by what posted. Parents have a right to be concerned with the welfare of their kids. The whole epicenter of a public school shouldnt revolve around a live human mascot.

Sorry for insulting Radio and his contributions to society. Give him the damn Nobel Peace Prize already. No one knew what love was until Radio came along and spread his magic in South Carolina. Gosh, I cant believe Radio didnt try and take down the Confederate Flag.

Long Live Radio. Hearts and Rainbow flavored water for all.

Whoop-te damn doo!

[–] 13 years ago

[deleted]

[–] Godsbrokenpromise 12 years ago

arazi25:

While everything you said made me laugh(probably not the wat you intended) nothing made me laugh more than this:

"The cop only was doing his job when he arrested Radio.

It was indeed trespassing on folks property.
But no! Coach Jones gotta give the death stare to a law enforcement official like he's the bad guy or something."

Fat old white man showing up at strangers house with cart full of presents on X-mas: accpeted holiday tradition

Innocent, young mentally handicapped black man showing up at strangers house with a cart full of presents on X-mas: Trespassing worthy of arrest without Miranda rights.

and clearly he was doing his job since his Superiors let Radio out and gave him his sandwhich, yeah clearly just doing his job without any prejudice.

And Radio is the Devil? How is an innocent man who is INVITED to participate(he never asked to be there, he was invited by coach) the devil exactly? Cause he somehow distracted a football team from winning a game while teaching all the players about tolerance and acceptance, yup sounds like an evil satanic man to me.

And where was the scene where a kid needed after school tutoring and didn't get any because every single teacher was busy showing Radio loop-de-loops? Was it after school that Coach showed him that? was it maybe Coach's free time?

And Frank Clay basically says that it's personal. He causes such a fuss about Radio because Coach cracks down on Johnny for being a horrible person(he even calls coach the first night when johnny locked him in shed, presumably to complain about punishment. He doesn't like that coach wont let Johnny play B-ball so he goes to school board. Look at the end, when Johnny is clearly a better person now that he accepts Radio and Frank gets mad cause he said hi to Radio. He teaches his son the "win at all cost" strategy and is upset when something compromises his son's playing time and the football teams record.

Did you happen to see the beginning when Coach is already ignoring his daughter before he even meets Radio?

I also love that you complain(or I'm sorry it made you sick) that a movie called RADIO about a character named RADIO was all about RADIO, gee I wonder why?

[–] draivin 11 years ago

You should go drink 2 gallons of bleach...try not to throw it up please.