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The Night Listener
- In theaters August 4th, 2006
- Rated R for language and some disquieting sexual
content
- Run Time : 82 Min
- 3 1/4 out of 5
Review by Jennifer Pflughaupt
Robin Williams and Toni Collette, weave a chilling
story based on truths surrounding a controversial
novel about to be published in the new and disturbing
film “The Night Listener”. Gabriel Noone (Robin
Williams) is a famous storyteller on his renowned
radio show “Noone at Night”. He is a compassionate,
yet conflicted man who comes across a disconcerting
novel a publisher friend gives him to read telling of
unfathomable, vulgar child sexual abuse, all written
by a 14-year-old boy named Pete. Noone finds out
that the kid is a fan of the radio show and they spark
up a friendship via the trusty telephone
This goes on for quite sometime until Noone’s ex,
Jess (Bobby Cannavale) comes over while he is on
the phone with the boy. The boy, being such a huge
fan knows of Jess and wants to speak to him. So,
Noone puts him on speaker so they can all talk.
After the boy gets done, the mom gets on the phone
and this is where “The Night Listener” gets spooky
and the plot gets twisted. Jess suspects foul play
and Pete’s entire existence comes into question.
The balance between truth, suspense, and great
story telling walks a fine line throughout the entirety
of the film. The directors and producers of this film
had a big challenge in front of them to make this
movie because they were dealing with a true story
involving such incredible and mysterious happenings
but no definite conclusion. Nevertheless, they make
it work. It is weird and extremely intense. I would
have found this movie to be a bit dull and
anticlimactic had it been a fictional story that
someone just created. But, since it is in fact based
on the story behind the novel “A Rock and a Hard
Place”, I found it to be very interesting and a bit
disturbing.
Robin Williams gives a stellar performance as Gabriel
Noone and I believe he is just as good at drama if
not better than he is at comedy. He is marvelous at
both! Toni Collette gives an eerily good show as the
mom of the supposed 14-year-old Pete and she is on
her way to superstardom, if she is not already there.
Somehow she transforms into the character and is
believable in every role. The supporting cast
including Sandra Oh, Bobby Cannavale and Joe
Morton, is an exceptional add to the movie and Oh
gives such a heavy subject a little bit of relief in
between with her funny antics. I give the film a
strong 3 and 1/4 stars out of 5. “The Night Listener”
is rated R for language and some disquieting sexual
content.
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Jennifer is a freelance film critic with an overloaded
life. She has a rock star husband, a 2 year old
daughter, a military career in the U.S. Air Force
Reserves, and she is also a full time student at UNT
working towards getting her degree in kicking butt
and
taking names. Some of her favorite films are “Heart
of the Game”, “The Lords of Dogtown”, “American
History X”, “The Boondock Saints”, “Miss
Congeniality”, “The United States of Leland” , “Return
to Me” and “Thank You for Smoking”. You can check
out her personal information, plus read her writings
and
reviews on Myspace .
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