When looking at history, the usual approach is to take a protagonist and view the large events through the eyes of that character. When looking at a person, the usual approach is to follow a rise-fall-rise-again model because no one gets a biopic made about them if they don’t overcome adversity. Talk To Me could easily fall into both these tried-and-true-but-tired forms by chronicling the story of Ralph “Petey” Greene (Don Cheadle) and his straight-talk over the airwaves to the people of DC during the 60s and 70s. Yet director Kasi Lemmons instead turns the focus onto the honest and fascinating relationship between Greene and his manager Dewey Hughes (Chiwetel Ejiofor).

The 60s were a turbulent time and sometimes it takes a man who not only says what everyone is thinking, but says it in a way that makes everyone remember it. Enter Petey Greene: an ex-convict looking for a job in a radio after he found his calling by practicing on the prison PA system. Dewey Hughes is looking for a new radio personality to boost his station’s audience but he’s far from convinced that Petey is his man. Yet it’s clear that their fates are entwined and that probably because of, rather than in spite of, their differences, Dewey and Petey begin a partnership that changes the sound of talk radio and the futures of these two unique figures.

What makes Talk To Me a special film, beyond how it tends to focus on character rather than letting the setting eclipse those characters, is that it takes two of the best actors working today and allows them to paint a fascinating portrait of racial identity, ambition, desire, fear, and hope. And yet it reaches these noble themes without ever being dry or boring. The film is packed with smart direction, classic tunes, and sharp dialog, all anchored by some of the year’s best performances. If this film was released at the end of the year rather than the summer, I would say that Cheadle, Ejiofor, and Taraji P. Henson (who plays Greene’s girlfriend) would all be due some Oscar attention.

The film could use a bit of a trim in the final act and there are a few debatable acting choices (most notably one involving a weeping Martin Sheen), but these are minor issues in a film that’s heart-warming without being cloying and thought-provoking without being obvious. Talk To Me is easily one of the best films I’ve seen all year.

For a more in depth look at Kasi Lemmons, check out our latest interview with the director/actress herself in our lifestyle section.