Millions in the Air: Radio shenanigans and old-school charm

Is it worth your time?

Honestly, if you like watching 1930s screwball lightweights, you'll have a decent enough time. It's not high art, but it's not trying to be. If you get bored by plots that move at the speed of a rotary phone, maybe skip it. It’s definitely for the crowd that enjoys Moon Over Manhattan or just wants to see people wearing fancy suits in recording studios.

The whole thing hinges on this girl trying to pull a fast one on her dad. It’s cute, but man, the amateur radio show parts? They drag on like a neighbor showing you his vacation photos.

Notes from the couch

• The radio equipment looks cool. I kept wanting to touch the dials.
• Joan Davis is doing heavy lifting here. She’s the only one who seems to realize this is a comedy.
• The dad's office is so ridiculously big it's distracting. Where does he even find the time to work?

There’s a specific scene where someone is singing into the microphone and the camera just sits there. It feels like the director went for a coffee break. It’s painfully static. Then, suddenly, someone drops a prop or makes a weird face, and the energy spikes for about three seconds. It’s those tiny, messy moments that make the whole thing feel alive.

It’s not as weird or bold as Yahangala Z50: Alien Village—obviously—but it has its own weird, polite rhythm. The dialogue is snappy in that way that doesn't really happen in real life. Nobody talks that fast unless they're on caffeine or a deadline.

I found myself staring at the background extras more than the main characters. Half of them are just standing there, trying to look like they’re listening to a broadcast. It’s charmingly fake. You can almost see them thinking about what they’re having for lunch.

Is it a masterpiece? No. But it’s better than sitting in silence. Just don't ask me to explain why the radio show contest was so important to the plot after the second act. I think even the writers forgot by then. 🎙️