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Robin Williams stars in The Night Listener.
The Night Listener is not a fast-paced, edge of your seat, Hollywood thriller. It is, however, an intelligent character film with an intriguing premise that is firmly grounded in reality. It’s a thriller with a brain, where the twists and turns are not over-the-top, nor are they merely tossed in for the sake of throwing the audience for a loop.
Robin Williams is Gabriel Noone, a late night radio show host and author. As he struggles through the break up of his long time relationship (Bobby Cannavale), he receives a book written by a 14-year-old boy, Pete (Rory Culkin), who has suffered a life full of sexual abuse. He soon begins to form a relationship with the boy and his guardian, Donna (Toni Collette), over the phone. But things take a turn when he begins to question whether or not the boy’s story is true.
Please forgive me if I walk on egg shells with this review, but it’s the kind of flick where if you talk about it too much, something gets ruined. I very much enjoyed The Night Listener. It’s a brilliantly crafted mystery, yet at the same time, quite simple. But the story isn’t really focused on the thrills and chills. Its focus is the character of Gabriel Noone, whose experience with Pete changes him, and his perception of the world around him. Williams puts in a strong performance, making Noone into a sympathetic character who seems to face a form of betrayal not only from those around him, but with himself. Collette is also her usual excellent self, showing just how great an actor she is, while Culkin’s limited role is offset by a natural delivery.
I think what I enjoyed most about the film is how much it stayed down to Earth. The story could easily have gotten bizarre or twisted, with more action scenes to pump up the adrenaline. But it doesn’t. It keeps it simple, and I liked that. The characters feel real, which makes sense, since the film’s story (based upon Armistead Maupin’s book) was inspired true events.
Although not related, I kept thinking of the recent fraud issue with JT LeRoy. Originally I thought they were one and the same, but later discovered that the inspiration that Maupin encountered came in the form of Anthony Godby Johnson, who wrote a book that Maupin provided a blurb for, called, Rock and a Hard Place: One Boy’s Triumphant Story. Mind you, The Night Listener is not directly based upon Maupin’s true experience.
It’s likely that younger audience will not be attracted to this film. It’s pacing and tone are more suited for the older generation, and that’s a good thing. Thrillers like this are often afraid to be cerebral, and director Patrick Stettner keeps it focused. There is also a sense of humor peppered throughout that is wonderfully seasoned.
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