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Working Slowly (Radio Alice) (2004) movie poster

Characters & Themes

Working Slowly (Radio Alice) (2004) Characters, Setting & Themes Explained

Release, runtime and language
2004 · 111 mins · Italian
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Directed by
Guido Chiesa
Starring
Federico Torre, Claudia Pandolfi, Antonio Petrocelli, Valerio Mastandrea, Giorgio Colangeli, Valerio Binasco

Bologna, 1976. The paths of two aimless young friends intertwine with those of Radio Alice, a pirate radio politically aligned with the leftist student movement.

History Comedy Drama Cast, crew & box office
On this page (7)
  1. 1 Where to watch
  2. 2 Characters explained (6)
  3. 3 Where & when it takes place
  4. 4 Themes & meaning (3)
  5. 5 Character & meaning questions
  6. 6 Movie threads
  7. 7 Every angle
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6 main characters · contains spoilers

Working Slowly (Radio Alice) Characters Explained: Who Is Who

The main characters of Working Slowly (Radio Alice) (2004), heroes and villains: what drives them, how they change over the course of the story and what each of them reveals about the film's bigger ideas.

  • Sgualo (Tommaso Ramenghi)

    A twenty-something from the eastern suburbs who dreams of escaping the gray, oppressive daily life. He partners with Pelo to pull off a high-stakes plan, and his cautious, introspective nature clashes with the riskier impulse to act. His connection to Radio Alice grows as the nights unfold, revealing a desire for meaning beyond work and poverty.

    • 🧭 Ambitious
    • 🕊️ Discontent
    • 🗝️ Risk-taker

  • Pelo (Marco Luisi)

    Sgualo’s friend and fellow dreamer who craves escape from the monotony of their world. He is drawn to the thrill of the plan and the idea of changing their fate, sometimes acting impulsively. Pelo’s loyalty to Sgualo is tested as danger mounts and choices become matters of life and death.

    • 🎯 Impulsive
    • 🧭 Loyal
    • 💥 Risk-prone

  • Marangon (Valerio Binasco)

    A local fence who offers the risky job that evolves into something larger. He embodies opportunism and a willingness to push others into dangerous schemes for profit. His presence foreshadows the moral ambiguity and peril surrounding the youths’ decisions.

    • 🕳️ Opportunistic
    • 🗡️ Calculating
    • 💰 Streetwise

  • Tenente Lippolis (Valerio Mastandrea)

    A police lieutenant who sees the movement as a nuisance of idealists rather than a legitimate threat. He is skeptical of the students’ seriousness, yet his role highlights the state's heavy-handed response to unrest. His pursuit complicates the protagonists’ plans and intensifies the clash between law enforcement and activism.

    • 🧑‍✈️ Authority
    • 🛡️ Enforcement
    • ⚖️ Skeptical

  • Padre Sgualo (Tommaso Ramenghi)

    A priest figure connected to Sgualo, offering a moral or existential counterpoint to the youths’ rebellion. He represents a traditional, guiding voice amid upheaval, underscoring themes of conscience and community. His presence adds a layer of spiritual tension to the unfolding events.

    • 🙏 Guidance
    • 🕊️ Spiritual
    • 🧭 Reflective

  • Ragazza nel Parco (Elena Ravaioli)

    A girl encountered by the young protagonists in a park, emblematic of youth and possibility. Her brief interactions reflect the audacity and vulnerability of the era’s new generation. She stands as a narrative touchstone for what the protagonists risk everything to protect or seize.

    • 🌸 Youth
    • 🎭 Symbolism
    • 🌀 Moment

Last updated: February 20, 2026 at 18:30

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Setting

Where and When Does Working Slowly (Radio Alice) Take Place?

The setting of Working Slowly (Radio Alice) (2004): the year and time period, the places and locations, and how they shape the characters, the mood and the tension of the story.

Time period

1976-1977

The story unfolds in the mid-to-late 1970s Bologna, a period marked by student activism, clandestine radio networks, and street clashes. The protagonists move from a stagnant daily life toward a high-stakes plan that culminates in a city-wide upheaval. The death of Francesco Lorusso in March 1977 becomes a turning point that heightens the conflict between police and militants.

Location

Bologna, Radio Alice, Piazza Minghetti, Via del Pratello

Bologna, a historic university city in northern Italy, becomes a hotbed of political protest in the late 1970s. Radio Alice sits on Via del Pratello as a countercultural beacon, while Piazza Minghetti becomes the planned stage for a daring heist. The city’s everyday grayness clashes with the vibrant, rebellious energy of its students and workers, all under a watchful police presence.

  • 🏙️ Bologna
  • 🎭 Subculture hub
  • 🕰️ 1970s unrest

Last updated: February 20, 2026 at 18:30

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3 major themes

Working Slowly (Radio Alice) Meaning: Themes & Message Explained

What is Working Slowly (Radio Alice) (2004) really about? The emotional, social and philosophical themes the film keeps returning to, its symbolism and the message beneath the surface.

  • Radio & Protest

    Radio Alice functions as a loud, unfiltered voice for the movement, shaping the mood and rhythm of the protagonists’ night-time ambitions. The broadcasts blur the line between art, politics, and daily rebellion, giving voice to a generation disillusioned with wage labor. The film suggests that media power can fuel collective action as much as it records it.

  • Escape & Risk

    Sgualo and Pelo seek an exit from the gray, oppressive routine of their surroundings. Their tunnel scheme symbolizes a desperate bid for financial and personal freedom, pushing them toward dangerous, life-altering choices. The plan tests trust, courage, and the limits of friendship under pressure.

  • Conflict & Consequences

    The tension between the police and the radicalized youth escalates from suspicion to open confrontation. The death of a prominent figure acts as a catalyst, turning personal ambitions into a broader societal crisis. The film examines how violence, authority, and ideology intersect in a city on the edge.

Last updated: February 20, 2026 at 18:30

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Character & theme questions

Working Slowly (Radio Alice) Characters & Meaning: Your Questions Answered

The questions people ask about Working Slowly (Radio Alice) (2004): who the characters really are, their relationships, what the symbols mean, where it takes place and what the movie is really about. Each answer contains spoilers.

Q1

Where is Working Slowly set?

The film is set in Bologna, a historic university city in northern Italy. Key locations include Via del Pratello, where Radio Alice operates as a countercultural beacon, and Piazza Minghetti, which becomes the planned stage for a key heist. The city’s everyday grayness contrasts with the vibrant, rebellious energy of its students and workers.

  • bologna
  • setting
  • via del pratello
  • radio alice
  • piazza minghetti
Q2

When does Working Slowly take place?

The story unfolds in Bologna between 1976 and 1977, a period marked by intense student activism, clandestine radio networks, and street clashes between police and radicalized youth. This era was defined by economic stagnation and social unrest across Italy.

  • 1976
  • 1977
  • time period
  • bologna
  • 1970s
Q3

What was Bologna like in the 1970s?

Bologna in the mid-to-late 1970s was a hotbed of political protest. The city’s university students and workers clashed frequently with police, while underground radio stations like Radio Alice broadcast countercultural content. The tension culminated in the death of Francesco Lorusso in March 1977, which became a turning point in the conflict between authorities and militants.

Foreshadowing: The film is set against the backdrop of real historical events, including the tragic death of a student that escalated city-wide unrest.

  • bologna
  • student protests
  • 1970s unrest
  • police clashes
Q4

What role does Radio Alice play in the film?

Radio Alice functions as a loud, unfiltered voice for the leftist movement, shaping the mood and rhythm of the protagonists' nighttime ambitions. The broadcasts blur the line between art, politics, and daily rebellion, giving voice to a generation disillusioned with wage labor. The film suggests that media power can fuel collective action as much as it records it.

  • radio alice
  • pirate radio
  • protest movement
  • counterculture
Q5

What are the main themes in Working Slowly?

The film explores three interconnected themes. Radio & Protest examines how media can fuel collective action. Escape & Risk follows two friends seeking freedom from oppressive daily life through a dangerous plan. Conflict & Consequences portrays the escalating tension between police and radicalized youth, culminating in violence that turns personal ambitions into societal crisis.

  • themes
  • protest
  • escape
  • risk
  • conflict
  • consequences
Q6

What motivates Sgualo and Pelo in Working Slowly?

Sgualo and Pelo are two aimless young friends who dream of escaping the gray, oppressive routine of their surroundings in Bologna. Sgualo is cautious and introspective, while Pelo is more impulsive and drawn to the thrill of changing their fate. Their tunnel scheme represents a desperate bid for financial and personal freedom, testing their friendship under extreme pressure.

  • sgualo
  • pelo
  • motivation
  • escape
  • friendship
  • tunnel
Q7

Who is Marangon in Working Slowly?

Marangon is a local fence who offers Sgualo and Pelo the risky job that evolves into something larger. He embodies opportunism and a willingness to push others into dangerous schemes for profit. His presence foreshadows the moral ambiguity and peril surrounding the youths' decisions.

  • marangon
  • fence
  • criminal
  • opportunism
Q8

What role does the police lieutenant play in the film?

Tenente Lippolis is a police lieutenant who sees the student movement as a nuisance of idealists rather than a legitimate threat. He is skeptical of the students' seriousness, yet his role highlights the state's heavy-handed response to unrest. His pursuit complicates the protagonists' plans and intensifies the clash between law enforcement and activism.

  • tenente lippolis
  • police
  • law enforcement
  • repression
Q9

Who is Padre Sgualo in Working Slowly?

Padre Sgualo is a priest figure connected to Sgualo, offering a moral or existential counterpoint to the youths' rebellion. He represents a traditional, guiding voice amid the upheaval, underscoring themes of conscience and community. His presence adds a layer of spiritual tension to the unfolding events.

  • padre sgualo
  • priest
  • morality
  • conscience
Q10

Who is the girl in the park in Working Slowly?

Ragazza nel Parco is a girl encountered by Sgualo and Pelo in a park, emblematic of youth and possibility. Her brief interactions reflect the audacity and vulnerability of the era's new generation. She stands as a narrative touchstone for what the protagonists risk everything to protect or seize.

  • ragazza nel parco
  • girl
  • park
  • youth
  • possibility

Movie threads

More Movies Like Working Slowly (Radio Alice), by Mood & Story

Curated lists built around what makes Working Slowly (Radio Alice) tick: the same mood, the same kind of story or the same emotional payoff. Each list explains why these movies belong together.

Political Rebellion Films like Working Slowly (Radio Alice)

Stories where youthful idealism clashes with an oppressive societal system. Explore movies like Working Slowly (Radio Alice) that focus on youth-driven political upheaval and underground resistance. If you liked the tense, rebellious energy of this film, you'll find more stories of idealism clashing with authority here.

  • rebellious
  • oppressive
  • anxious
  • political
  • melancholic
  • urgent
  • Tone: tense, rebellious, melancholic
  • Pacing: variable, urgent
Why these movies?

The story pattern: These narratives often follow characters who are swept up in a cause, driven by a desire for change. The journey typically involves forming or joining a counter-culture movement, facing escalating opposition, and confronting the sobering realities and personal sacrifices that come with activism.

Why they belong together: Movies are grouped here for their shared focus on political rebellion, a tense and oppressive atmosphere, and the bittersweet or heavy emotional fallout of fighting against a powerful system. They often feature a mix of high intensity and variable pacing, reflecting the chaotic nature of protest.

The Revolutionary movie poster

The Revolutionary

1971
The Dreamers movie poster

The Dreamers

2004
R.P.M. movie poster

R.P.M.

1970
This Revolution movie poster

This Revolution

2005
The Silent Revolution movie poster

The Silent Revolution

2018
A Dangerous Life movie poster

A Dangerous Life

1000
The Youth of Maxim movie poster

The Youth of Maxim

1935
The Strawberry Statement movie poster

The Strawberry Statement

1970

Coming of Age Stories with Bittersweet Endings like Working Slowly (Radio Alice)

A coming-of-age story where innocence is lost to harsh societal realities. Discover movies similar to Working Slowly (Radio Alice) that explore youth grappling with harsh realities. If you were moved by the film's melancholic take on growing up amidst turmoil, you'll find more powerful stories of disillusionment here.

  • melancholic
  • youthful
  • disillusionment
  • bittersweet
  • tense
  • heavy
  • Tone: melancholic, tense, bittersweet
  • Pacing: variable, character-driven
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative pattern follows characters on the cusp of adulthood who are thrust into situations that shatter their naivety. The plot revolves around their struggle to reconcile their ideals with a world that is often corrupt, violent, or indifferent, leading to a personal transformation marked by sadness and hard-won wisdom.

Why they belong together: These films share a core theme of disillusionment, a melancholic and tense mood, and a bittersweet emotional conclusion. They combine the personal stakes of a coming-of-age story with the heavier weight of social commentary, creating a powerful and resonant viewing experience.

Sweet Bird of Youth movie poster

Sweet Bird of Youth

1962
Another Country movie poster

Another Country

1984
Youth movie poster

Youth

2015
So B. It movie poster

So B. It

2017
Teenage Dirtbag movie poster

Teenage Dirtbag

2009
An Awfully Big Adventure movie poster

An Awfully Big Adventure

1995
Boys on the Side movie poster

Boys on the Side

1995
Splendor in the Grass movie poster

Splendor in the Grass

1961

Every angle

Working Slowly (Radio Alice) (2004) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

Everything about Working Slowly (Radio Alice) in one place: what happens in the plot summary, the timeline in chronological order, the characters and meaning and a spoiler-free summary. What's After the Movie adds the cast, box office and post-credit scenes.

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