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Radio poster

Radio

Movie 2003 109 min Drama Checked by Dan S · 16 Oct 2026
Official Rating PG ClearAge 10+

No Australia rating available — showing United States

Why our age differs

Official is US PG. We say 10+ because the racial and disability-based mistreatment is repeated and may upset younger children even without graphic violence

What we flagged

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Language
Mild

Our take

A coach befriends Radio and stands up for him when people in town mock or exclude him. Radio is gentle in its action, but the prejudice and cruelty can still sting. We would start around 10 and be ready to talk about the way he is treated.

Uplifting themes

Coach Jones models inclusion by bringing Radio into football life and school routines. The town slowly learns that dignity matters more than winning games Harold Jones keeps showing up for Radio even when parents complain. Radio himself responds with kindness that disarms bullies over time The story opens talk about how schools and sports teams can include people with disabilities, set against real historical attitudes in the South

Story (may spoil tone)

In the racially divided town of Anderson, South Carolina in 1976, football coach Harold Jones spots a mentally disabled African-American young man nicknamed Radio near his practice field and is inspired to befriend him. Soon, Radio is Jones' loyal assistant, and he becomes a student at T.L. Hanna High School. But things start to sour when Coach Jones begins taking guff from parents and fans who feel that his devotion to Radio is getting in the way of the team's quest for a championship.

What we flagged

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Language
Mild

Details

Language Mild Adults say hell and damn often, and one scene has the s-word in surpris…

Adults say hell and damn often, and one scene has the s-word in surprise on the field. A coach also repeats crap when angry, but most kid dialogue stays clean

Bullying / discrimination Moderate In 1970s South Carolina, townspeople mock and exclude James "Radio" bec…

In 1970s South Carolina, townspeople mock and exclude James "Radio" because of his intellectual disability and race. A few students and parents push back, but cruelty drives several plot turns

Mental health Mild Radio is portrayed as living with a developmental disability, and the f…

Radio is portrayed as living with a developmental disability, and the film shows how isolation and teasing affect him emotionally. It is inspirational sports drama, not a clinical portrait

Grief / bereavement Mild Radio's mother's death is part of his background, and the community eve…

Radio's mother's death is part of his background, and the community eventually mourns losses tied to the heart of the town. Funerals are handled gently

Flashing lights We have not confirmed whether this version contains flashing lights.

We have not confirmed whether this version contains flashing lights.

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Talk after watching

  • Some townspeople think Radio will distract the team. When does helping one person make a whole community better?
  • Radio forgives people who hurt him faster than adults do. What would real accountability look like in that situation?

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