Citizens Band

Directed by Jonathan Demme, Citizens Band follows several oddball characters, including Paul Le Mat’s Spider and Charles Napier’s Chrome Angel, as their stories are united by their use of CB radio. Demme, armed with a script by Paul Brickman, delivers a watchable yet decidedly erratic endeavor that rarely becomes as engrossing or captivating as the filmmaker has obviously intended, as the movie’s been infused with a persistently (and pervasively) lackadaisical sensibility that prevents it from achieving complete liftoff – with the arms-length feel heightened by a recurring emphasis on characters and subplots on a far-from-enthralling nature. It’s clear, then, that Citizens Band‘s mild success is due to the agreeable, low-key atmosphere and proliferation of affable performances, with, in terms of the latter, Demme eliciting standout work from both Le Mat and Napier that remains a continuing highlight within the proceedings. By the time the satisfying final stretch, which effectively brings all the protagonists together, rolls around, Citizens Band has cemented its place as a relatively solid piece of work that benefits substantially from its easygoing vibe.

**1/2 out of ****