Miramax Films’ new psychological thriller “The Night Listener,” directed by Patrick Stettner and starring Robin Williams and Toni Collette, will open in theaters on August 4.
Some psychological thrillers leave audience members with the impression that the story is an impossible occurrence, a definitive “that was a great fiction” feeling. “The Night Listener” is a more “natural” psychological thriller, leaving an air of the possibility that this could really happen to you or someone you know.
Gabriel (Robin Williams) is a talk radio host whose lover Jess (Bobby Cannavale) has just moved out, but is trying to show that he is moving on. After having lived together for years, the couple’s separation adds to Gabriel’s already fragile self-esteem.
An avid storyteller, Gabriel uses pieces of his real life experiences, namely how he and Jess live with Jess’ AIDS, for his radio program and his fans just eat it up. Gabriel will often embellish or change aspects of his life to give a much different impression than what actually occurs. This lifts Gabriel’s self-esteem just a little each time and causes him to remember his stories rather than what actually happened.
Just as Jess leaves, 14-year-old Pete (Rory Culkin) comes into Gabriel’s life. Gabriel and Pete form a friendship over the phone after Gabriel reads the book Pete wrote about the torture he survived from his parents and their friends’ sexual appetites for him when he was younger.
Pete’s adoptive mother, Donna (Toni Collette), is supportive of their friendship and hopes that the friendship with Gabriel will give Pete and his book the extra support needed to overcome the many obstacles he has already dealt with and has yet to work through.
Gabriel’s life changes when he suggests that Pete and Donna are the same person after a first conversation with them on Gabriel’s speakerphone.
Searching for the truth, Gabriel finds out that nobody in the book deal has actually met Pete and Donna because all correspondence has been over the phone. This brings Gabriel to the desperation and desire for truth that drives him to travel to Wisconsin, where the picture of Pete had been sent. Twists, turns and dead ends are abound until Gabriel finally catches a break and gets to meet Donna, who invites him to her home with Pete.
Unfortunately, Pete is in the hospital at the time of Gabriel’s visit and, still doubtful of Pete’s existence, Gabriel finds Pete’s room with all the news clippings and radio program posters tacked to Pete’s wall, showing how much he really admires Gabriel.
There is an unreasonable and sudden snap in Donna’s behavior and she refuses to let Gabriel see Pete in the hospital the next day. Gabriel takes matters even further into his own hands and goes on a search for Pete to all the local hospitals and then back to Donna and Pete’s home.
Sandra Oh gives a note-worthy performance as Gabriel’s friend, Anna, and with such a natural performance and connection with Robin Williams, it makes you feel like listening to real life conversation every time they’re together.
This is a finely laid out psychological thriller that will creep up on you, as opposed to the edge-of-your-seat and action-based movies. The tone and suspense of the film is heightened by the lighting choices and even more by the fantastic musical score.
Highly recommended and enjoyable, you should certainly make it a point to see this film and the great performances given by each actor.