LeonLouisRicci One of those Small, mostly Ignored, B-Movies that Come and Go at a regular clip. There Here, little seen, and Gone. But Thanks to a Modern Platform of many Delivery Systems, unlike in Olden Times, Movie Lovers can Thank Video, Cable, and now Streaming to Catch the Ones that Got Away.Robin Williams is the Central Character in this Suspenser. A Gay Professional Man who Stumbles Upon a Story of a 14 Year Old Boy who was Abused and Contracted AIDS and is Dying, wrote His Story in a Book, and Williams becomes Empathetic and Reaches Out, with a Big Heart, to Comfort during the Kids Final Days.Trouble is, He soon Discovers, with some Prompting from others, that the Kid's Story may be a Hoax. If that's Not Disturbing Enough the Fabrication, if there Was a Fabrication, might have been Perpetrated by a very Disturbed Blind Woman. So Williams travels to Find the Truth. What unfolds is a Creepy, Scary, and Frustrating Journey that will have Audiences Shivering and Unsettled. The Film is, Well Acted (Especially by Toni Collette) and is an Undiscovered Gem that is Restrained and Gripping.It is an Against the Grain Type of Adult Psychological Horror that has Moments of Terror and is so Tense it might cause Breathless, Inaudible Screams, from Sensitive Types. The Movie is Relentless and gains Maniacal Momentum as each Scene Unfolds. The Ending comes to You from…..."The Twilight Zone".

Leofwine_draca In which Robin Williams, playing a radio DJ, discovers that one of his listeners may not be who he appears to be. This is a creepy drama, extremely understated to the point of being slightly dull, which plays out its story – supposedly based on a true-life tale – with a strong psychological slant. Williams plays a man with his own personal demons, having recently split up with his boyfriend and asking questions about his own beliefs and existence. Into his life comes Toni Collette, a woman who's adopted a boy recently rescued from his child abusing parents.There isn't a great deal more to the story than that. This is effectively a mood piece, focusing throughout on the mystery of the situation and building up the drama as Williams attempts to uncover the truth about the boy's existence. Supporting roles in the story are given to Joe Morton (still instantly recognisable from his role as Miles Dyson in TERMINATOR 2) and Rory Culkin (Macauley's brother), but the brunt of the screen time is given over to Williams and Collette. Williams, once again playing a likable, damaged type of personality, provides a strong centrepiece for the movie and Collette is excellent as the adoptive mother, better than I've seen her in anything else. This quiet, subdued movie may not be one that sticks in the mind but I enjoyed it nonetheless for its quirkiness and atmosphere.

blanche-2 Robin Williams is "The Night Listener" in this 2006 film, based on an incident that Armistad Maupin wrote a novel about that apparently happened to him. Williams plays Gabriel No one, who does a radio show called "Noone at Night." He's having a hard time, not only professionally but personally. His lover (Bobby Cannavale) has moved out after 8 years and he has writer's block as far as material for his show.A book agent (Joe Morton) gives Gabriel that galley of a book about to be published. It's written by a 14-year-old boy named Pete (Rory Culkin) about the horrific sexual abuse he suffered at the hands of his parents and his parents' friends. He is now living with a social worker (Toni Collette) and the two of them are in hiding. Pete is dying of AIDS. Gabriel forms a friendship with the boy over the phone. All is well until Gabriel's ex-boyfriend thinks there is a similarity between the voices of the social worker and Pete.People often complain about a film being too long; "The Night Listener" is too short. I felt as if I missed the first fifteen minutes as I watched the beginning. Also, Williams, a good actor, goes a little too inward; Gabriel needs a little more outward showing of mood.There are several stunning features of this film: the actual story, which had the potential of making this a great film rather than just a good one; the second is the performance of Toni Collette, a truly great actress who deserves to be up there with Meryl Streep. She has two problems keeping her from superstardom - she doesn't look like a star and she loses herself so totally in her characters that she's not identifiable as a star personality. But what an actress. Her portrayal of Donna, the social worker, is sensational. The third feature is the wonderful atmosphere created when Gabriel goes to Wisconsin to find Donna and Pete - dark, unfriendly, filled with suspense.Despite some problems, this is a movie that will really hold your interest. Unfortunately, while it is well directed, it's not brilliantly directed and the script needed a little tightening. A shame - this story is worth better treatment.

jotix100 Gabriel, an author and radio personality has just ended a gay relationship that has left him wondering about many aspects of his life. The life he shared with Jess is over. Ashe, his boss, tries to interest in a manuscript written by a teenager, Pete Logand, who is suffering from AIDS. Gabriel contacts the youth, who confesses to have read his books, to give him a word of encouragement.Whenever Gabriel calls the young man, he also talks to a sister, Donna. After a while he realizes Pete's and Donna's voices sound alike. Gabriel decides to go to their rural Wisconsin community to meet the young man. As he gets there, Gabriel finds himself in a situation he didn't bargain for. The elusive Donna turns out to be a blind woman. After being found, Donna does everything possible to hide from Gabriel where his brother is being treated.There is a clue to Donna's real personality in the last sequence of the film in which someone is visiting a new housing development. We get a peek of why the mystery behind the figure of Pete.Patrick Stettner directed the film. Based on a screenplay by Terry Anderson and Armistead Maupin, it presents a complex situation about what is real and what is not. One thing is clear, Robin Williams is a better dramatic actor and keeps getting better all the time. This actor tends to go wild when not given tighter directions by the people at the helm of any project. Toni Collette, a welcome addition in any movie, doesn't make the best impression with her work here. It might be she didn't quite felt comfortable with the character she plays. Rory Culkin, Sandra Oh, and Bobby Cannavale are seen in minor roles.