There have been a lot of psychological thrillers to date and many of them have a new and unique psychological for their antagonist/villain/bad person/whathaveyou. Some deliver, some don't. Simply put, The Night Listener does - for the most part. The plot is gripping, the characters intriguing and the situations full of tense music and plausible dynamics. The Night Listener, though short even by Disney standards, makes up for it with its dramatic gusto.
Robin Williams, in his increasingly more dramatic trend, stars as Gabriel Noone, radio personality of "Noone at Night" a storytelling show drawn from Gabriel's own experiences. A close friend Ashe (Morton) approaches with a book written by Pete Logand, a cancer-stricken 14-year-old boy, about his experiences living with biological parents who entertained a sex club in their basement; the writing style and unusually young age of the author pique Gabriel's interest and the phone calls between himself and the young-teen begin. The two form a relationship over the phone discussing all things life, and Robin Williams entering into a mentorship role. Life is good, until Gabriel's ex-boyfriend comments that the voices of Pete and of Donna Logand, Pete's foster mother, sound strikingly similar. This realization starts an avalanche of events that take Gabriel to visit the boy in "Nowheresville", WI and search for the truth.
With so many twists and turns, The Night Listener plays subtle games with the mind of the audience. We're constantly taken back and forth as to who wrote the book. Does the child exist? Is Robin Williams just paranoid about being hurt? All these questions keep us bouncing back and forth between wanting to believe and skepticism.
On top of this, there are no drawn-out moments to be found in this film. No staggering conversations put in simply to keep the audience caught up with the plot points nor to remind us of who the characters are and why they're relevant. While this does make the screen time of likable characters just a tad bit too short, it's forgivable since they're so well played out. Each character's actions and lines are cleverly crafted to give us the feeling that as an audience we should be familiar with these people, even comfortable with them. All of this fits masterfully with the format of the film which is quite simply Gabriel Noone telling the story on his late night radio show, to an audience that's heard his entire life retold at least once before.
The performances by Robin Willaims and Toni Collette stand out not only due to the fact that they dominate the screen for 80% of the film but also because, straight out they're fantastic. For all the neuroses in Toni Collette's character she pulls it off brilliantly. All the insecurities, all of life's frustrations that come with her blindness, everything. Collette plays the character splendidly. Robin Williams, well what can I say besides he's found a new niche. He's played the serious role more often than not in his latest slew of films from Good Will Hunting, Insomniac, to 1 Hr. Photo, and now The Night Listener; for all his comedic genius he's settled into the role of subtle drama better than most. Not to short change the other fantastic thespians in the film, as Sandra Oh is spectacular as Anna, Gabriel's assistant. She keeps the mood light and keeps the story moving at points where most thrillers have the mundane conversations. Also of of notice was Rory Culkin for a role that is hard to describe, and you'll understand after you've seen the film, but you're not entirely sure whether or not you can compliment his performance or Collette's.
There are those that may be annoyed by the film's lack of conclusion, not to spoil anything, but in that scenario we must remember one important thing: this is inspired by a true story. While obvious liberties are taken in order to allow for drama and theatrical presentation, staying so true to the story lends this film an air of truth and intimacy that isn't often found in thrillers.
If you enjoyed movies with concepts similar to Identity, Fight Club, or even Psycho, then The Night Listener is right up your alley. This is one of the better movies that will come out this summer and worth checking out before it hits its pre-rental hiatus.
"The Night Listener" opens August 4, 2006 and is rated R. Drama. Directed by Patrick Stettner. Written by Armistead Maupin and Terry Anderson. Starring Bobby Cannavale, Robin Williams, Rory Culkin, Sandra Oh, Toni Collette.
