Cuba Gooding goes far beyond his Academy Award-winning work in “Jerry Maguire,” not to mention his largely phoned-in performances in lesser, recent piffles like “Snow Dogs” and “The Fighting Temptations.” Unlike the show-offy pyrotechnics of other actors playing mentally challenged characters (think Oscar nominees Leonardo DiCaprio in “Who’s Eating Gilbert Grape,” John Mills in “Ryan’s Daughter,” or Cliff Robertson in “Charly”), Gooding delivers a masterpiece of understatement. You never focus on an actor-doing-an-amazing-job-as-a-brain-damaged-loser, and instead see a fully realized, fully human character with his delicate emotions perilously close to the surface. Following the example of the real-life citizens of Anderson, S.C., you learn to view Radio not as a lovable “retarded” guy, but as a lovable guy, period.

Director Mike Tollin (who’s created memorable sports documentaries, but whose only prior feature film was the slick, shallow baseball movie “Summer Catch”) took some liberties in re-arranging the facts of his story: in actuality, it was several coaches who befriended Radio, not just one, and his gradual acceptance as a fixture at the high school took many years, not just 1976 (a historical moment that the movie evokes effortlessly and fondly). As a bonus in the film’s final moments, Tollin provides richly moving footage showing the actual characters Gooding and Harris have played so well, some quarter century after the events of the film. In keeping with the project’s soulful humanity, even the less attractive characters (like the self-centered hotshot of the athletic department or his meddlesome banker dad) emerge with sympathetic, believable features.

Ed Harris, meanwhile, creates one of the most complex and admirable heroes in recent films – a hard-driving workaholic who preaches and exemplifies self-discipline, but develops an unlikely tenderness before our eyes. His brilliant performance creates a dilemma for all those who have noted his outspoken leftwing activism, and perhaps for Mr. Harris himself. Off camera, this richly accomplished actor not only gives voice to the Bush-bashing, America-blaming line so typical of the Hollywood elite, but devotes special attention to the cause of “abortion rights.” He recently spoke at the annual banquet for NARAL – the National Abortion Rights Action League – and stridently identified with their unapologetic pro-abortion stand. Ironically, the logic of this organization’s single-minded glorification of “pregnancy termination” would lead them to applaud the optional murder, in utero, of “damaged” human beings like Radio in the movie. One can only hope that Mr. Harris remains intelligent and open-minded enough to understand that whatever his “pro-choice” personal commitments, he has contributed his considerable talents to a movie that remains unavoidably, potently pro-life – with its insistence on the dignity, and infinite worth, of even the most imperfect and vulnerable human being. Rated PG, for brief flashes of rude language, but ideal entertainment for any moviegoers about the age of eight. FOUR STARS.