Rate It
|
||||||||||||||||
Rating Averages
My Friends |
Not rated. () |
|
|
|---|---|---|---|
All Flixster |
(13438) |
25092 |
45191 |
Female |
(8367) |
15623 |
28138 |
Male |
(5071) |
9469 |
17053 |
More Like This
If you liked this, then you'll also probably like...
Got another recommendation for someone who liked this movie? Add it to the list!
Got an opinion? Use the buttons to vote on all the suggestions people have added.
If lots of people vote, the best suggestions will rise to the top.
| The Sixth Sense (60%) |
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Notes on a Scandal (44%) |
|
|
| Good Morning, Vietnam (56%) |
|
|
| What Dreams May Come (60%) |
|
|
| Hard Candy (50%) |
|
|
Plot:
A popular radio show host who, while trying to cope with a splintering romance, strikes up a telephone relationship with his biggest fan. When disturbing questions arise regarding the boy's identity, ...( read more 
)
Meet Other Fans
Recent Reviews
-
MCT:October 1, 2008Mr. Williams, in one of his blessedly shtick-free performances, effectively conveys Gabriel?s weary, worried stoicism, but the movie limits his character to a few easy, literal motivations. A scene with Gabriel?s bluff, Southern father (John Cullum) is intriguing without being especially illuminating, and Mr. Cannavale?s character seems more functional than real.
We understand that Gabriel, who nursed Jess through a period of life-threatening illness, needs someone to protect and care for, and that Pete represents a beguiling mixture of toughness and innocence, but the psychological and intellectual implications that hover over the story are lost in the spooky atmospherics and overshadowed by Ms. Collette?s off-kilter showboating.
The story told in ?The Night Listener? resonates uncannily with the curious case of J. T. Leroy, whose literary renderings of a blighted childhood were recently revealed as a hoax. Clearly, there is something about tales of violated innocence, the more extreme the better, that invites credulity. Why would anyone make up such horrible stories? Why would anyone believe ? or, for that matter, doubt ? them? Those questions hover in the background of this film, which scratches its head and shrugs them off. -
MCT:September 25, 2008
Let me begin by saying that with few exceptions (One Hour Photo) Robin Williams is not a "draw" for me. But while he did seem slightly miscast in this role...he was not horrible. Just not the best choice for the role (in my opinion).
The story itself is a little slow and not as well executed as it could have been. It almost seemed like a "made for tv" movie at times. But it was inriguing enough to keep my interst and at times was actually even a little creepy.
Toni Collette seldom disapoints and seems to get better, the more she challenges herself. I hope she continues to get the opportunity to do so. -
MCT:September 11, 2008Not very good at all. Very slow film with very little happening in it all based around one plot idea. Based on true events, however at 76 mins long there just isn't enough to interest you.
-
MCT:August 6, 2008Wasted talent, waste of time. Slow moving. You wonder why this got made into a movie. It's no wonder why this one never got a major theatrical release.
-
MCT:July 26, 2008VERY disappointing. The movie felt choppy, detached, and unorganized. The ending was a complete waste of movie.
-
MCT:July 25, 2008
Again Toni Collette's give us a excellent performance. Not so diferent of Mr. Williams, always a great actor who knows how to build characters. A excellent movie.
-
MCT:July 17, 2008interesting based loosely on true events. i found it kind of creeps. but moreso just really sad. in a way that made me think about it for a long while.
-
MCT:July 15, 2008
The Night Listener tells the story of a New York city radio host who tells stories on the air. When he gets a phone call from one of his biggest fans, who wrote a novel as a child, he begins to talk to the young man regularly. When the identity of the boy and whether or not he even exsists becomes a question Gabriels life gets turned into a mess.
Robin Williams was splendid. He shows true range. He found his inner actor and his inner storyteller, and he showed it in this film. Robin was not as good as he probably could have been, but still an average performance to go under his credit.
Toni Collette played the Strange played woman known as Donna througout the film. She did a afairly good job, playing the adoptive mother of the so called boy named Pete. Collette was freaky to say the least. She began to flip out when Gabriel came close to the truth. She wanted sympathy, but she didnt want someone to get to close to the story itself and begin to unravel the truth. The portrayal shockingly resembles what some people may know as a compulsive lier, someone digs themself a deep whole but continues to pack on the lies even after they have been discovered.
Both Characters had there difficulties. Gabriel was struggling to make his relationship work. Donna was just trying to make people like her. Both characters in a way could relate to one another because on some level they were both looking for some kind of sympathy. Gabriel because his relationship failed and Donna because her adoptive son was going through a rought time.
The only problem with the film, is that it plays out in exactly the way people think it is going to. There may be a few dark scenes along the way, but you can definiltey see the ending coming from a mile away. It wasnt anything original, it featured little dvelopment and the story progressed way to fast and almost in a manner that could get to be confusing.
If you like Williams or Collette then you will like this one. If you are looking for a good thriller then keep on going, because a thriller this is not. It gets you bored about hal way through and it isnt even 2 hours long, its not even an hour and a half. The only good thing is that the characters do have real like difficulties and you can begin to feel sorry for them. Other than that, just a film to watch on rainy day. -
MCT:July 4, 2008
Did not want to see this movie but I watched it anyways. I really don't like watching movies with Robin William in them. That guy annoys me. I don't get it was the kid made up or what? And the guys were gay. Half way through the movie I realized.
-
MCT:June 13, 2008
A lonely and sad movie. I wasn't surprised it was based on true happenings; the events were too disturbed. The cinematography is dark and cold, which suits the story. There are enough answers to the mystery to make it a complete story.
-
MCT:June 8, 2008
It was intriguing, but at times I was hoping something more would happen. This is a psychological thriller, so there is absolutely no comedy. It is a fairly good movie. If you want a movie that is a decent thriller, give it a try.
-
MCT:April 24, 2008
I couldn't decide whether or not I liked this until the very end. But I did like it, quite a bit actually. I prefer subtle stories over showy ones, but this one is SO subtle, I almost didn't "get it." Blink and you might miss it, but it's worth checking out just for the cast and very well-written nuances in the characters. Toni Collette and Bobby Cannavale pick weird movies sometimes, but they seems to know what they're doing because they never mess it up!
-
MCT:April 3, 2008
I don't know why people would be down on this movie. Its all about the character played by Toni Collette. She has some deep secret in her past, and weaves Robin Williams, who plays a radio talk show host, into her life.
-
MCT:March 22, 2008
A good idea with a bad script. Unbelievably, what could have been a creepy suspense film is completely blown in the first 15 minutes. Almost tortuously obvious. Then, what little shred of suspense was left is explicitly blown in the last scene. Why include it? The film would have at least had some "doubt" to it if the last 30 seconds has been omitted. A nice performance by Williams goes to waste.
(thanks to thereeldeal, with whom I totally agreed) -
MCT:March 3, 2008Wonderfully creepy, fantastic acting, all in all great. I love seeing Robin Williams as a dramatic actor, he can be so complex. I also really loved the acting between Williams and the Jess character, I could really feel all the emotions there - older dating younger, feelings of love and mistrust, etc. Just great. I really loved this movie.
-
MCT:February 11, 2008
Normally I appreciate someone trying to tell a story, but nothing about this movie worked for me. Robin Williams needs to stick to what he does best. This whole movie was just 'sad' in my opinion.
-
MCT:February 4, 2008
a very weird movie that was kinda dissappointing because it was a bit slow at times and well not hard to follow but just weird idk but robin williams is interesting to see doing a serious role
-
MCT:January 26, 2008
On the whole, I didn't like this film. The character played by Robin Williams kinda creeped me out. And Rory Culkin's character was similarly creepy. On the other hand, Toni Collette was awesome - she's the only thing that made it worth watching. And the somewhat short length of the film (80 minutes) was right for the story in my opinion. Plus, who doesn't love a little Sandra Oh in their day?
-
MCT:January 21, 2008Starts very well,but fails miserably from half on.It's sad to see such a great actor like Robin Williams doing weak movies like this and sinking his career.
-
MCT:January 9, 2008
Pass!!
Good cast, but the story was sooooo slow!! And I felt like it had huge gaps too!!
Skip it!! -
MCT:January 6, 2008
Though I have not read the source material, I felt this film on its own was atmospheric and well constructed, with solid performances, especially from Toni Collette.
-
MCT:December 26, 2007
The film itself I thought was slow, anticlimactic and dumb. And the "based on" bit at the end maade me think....ya, okay, whatever...
The acting was good from Toni Collette, but Robin Williams was a horrible casting choice. First of all, wasn;t he supposed to be gay? Um, try again. Admittedly I'm not a fan, ugh, he was bad in this role.
I can;t recommend this to anyone. I say stay away.
My Friends Said...
The Night Listener Recent Reviews
Register or sign-in to see your friends' reviews !
Comments
-
bountyhunterroraposted 633 days ago -
I felt lost in with this movie. After an hour of slow moving nonsense it started to play out for a few mins and then nothing. I expected more but it seems like that happends more than it use to with films today.. But this is my opinon... Others might think higher of it, but to me it was Ok.. but not any where great.
posted 642 days ago -
is it ok for a fourteen year old to see? is it scary of like a thriller
posted 713 days ago
