Radio Days

1987 Woody Allen movie

Rating: 16/20

Plot: Woody reminisces on a youth spent listening to the radio with his family.

This movie is the second in a row in which Dick Hyman appeared in the credits. That's called a "Double Dick Hyman," as you probably know.

This semi-autobiographical movie is that special kind of movie that can make you feel nostalgic for experiences you've never had. The performances are really good, and the episodic structure keeps this thing buzzing right along, like somebody hitting the "scan" button on the radio to look for a station. At first, it's hard to tell just whose point of view this is supposed to be, but it's a good portrait of this family. Woody Allen, at least in this stage of his career, had both the technical virtuosity and the love of the subject matter to make something that really sings.