“Radio” is the kind of movie that wants audience members to cry.

It is a sentimental tale of a mentally disabled man and the noble football coach who takes him under his wing.

The subject matter alone should tip off viewers that this isn’t a cynical, complex film nor does it try to be. Directed by Mike Tollin, “Radio” merely attempts to draw us in, jerk our hearts around a little, and let us leave the theater with the feeling that all is right in the world – or a least all can be right if we treat handicapped people as human beings.

-Based on a true story, “Radio” is set in the small town of Anderson, S.C. in the 1970s, where the main character, Radio, a young snaggle-toothed black man (Cuba Gooding Jr.) with a disability wanders the roads with a shopping cart. After a group of high school football players play a vicious prank on Radio, the players’ coach, Harold Jones (Ed Harris), encourages the young man to become a kind-of assistant and mascot for the team.

Of course, because this is the world of cinema, there must be some kind of resistance to make the story interesting. The team’s quarterback resents Radio, as does his father — the mildly villainous town banker. The high school principal and the school board have reservations about Radio coming in contact with students.

Even Radio’s hard-working mother isn’t sure about the situation. From the beginning, anyone can see the small-town folks will have to come around and eventually accept Radio.

The predictable story, a cross between “Rain Man” and “Remember the Titans,” reeks of Hollywood schmaltz, but is remarkably tolerable.

This is mainly because Harris and Gooding are pleasant to watch. They flesh out their one-dimensional characters well. Harris plays Jones with gruff, understated goodness, but Gooding carries the film. Playing a convincing mentally disabled character can be tough, but Gooding pulls off Radio using a set of false teeth and a realistic hunch. His performance may well be one of the better ones of his career.

Other than being somewhat bland and overly sweet, “Radio” doesn’t contain many large flaws, but it must be mentioned that a white rural high school in the South would not have had a black principal 30 years ago, as is shown in “Radio.” Also, the quarterback’s transformation from bully to Radio’s friend is less than convincing.

In addition, some of the dialogue from writer Mike Rich (who also wrote “The Rookie”) falls flat, such as when Jones says, “We’re not the ones been teachin’ Radio; Radio the one’s been teachin’ us.”

However, watching “Radio” isn’t a bad way to spend two hours, and it just might squeeze a tear or two out of your eyes.