Woody Allen takes two stories, his childhood with his extended family and the heyday of radio, and wraps them together, showing how radio captured the attention of and helped shape America.
The story is occasionally a bit disjointed, and while some critics harped on that, I found that it more fit the way nostalgia feel like... bits and pieces of memories held together by common threads.
The acting and direction are wonderful. Michael Tucker brings a great comic warmth to the screen, and Julie Kavner and Dianne Wiest are both very, very strong. But the star of this movie is the time in which it is set, and the set design, cinematography and overall mood of the movie are captured wonderfully. I've spoken to people who grew up in New York City during the "Radio Days" and they say that Allen captures the era perfectly.
I love this movie because Allen doesn't pretend that the past is perfect, but he loves it even with its flaws, and he presents it to us with the love that feels for this time gone by.