The Night Listener

August 13, 2006 - Robin Williams appears in just about every scene of this 2006 film based on a real-life experience of the movie's writer/executive producer, Armistead Maupin.

Williams plays Gabriel Noone, host of a late-night radio show in New York City. He's upset over a break-up with his long-time boyfriend, Jess, so he's having trouble doing his job. That's when a publisher friend gives Gabriel an advance copy of a book written by Pete Logand, a 14-year-old boy. The book describes, in graphic detail, Pete's sexual abuse at the hands of his parents and their friends.

Soon, Gabriel is receiving phone calls from the boy and his adoptive mother, Donna (Toni Collette). She tells Gabriel that Pete (Rory Culkin) has AIDS and only has a few months to live. Jess happens to be with Gabriel for one of these phone calls. After listening on speaker phone, Jess comments that Donna and Peter sound like the same person. Gabriel gets angry about Jess's doubts. Of course, Pete is real! But, soon, Gabriel starts to have doubts of his own.

Overall review: *** If I could give half stars, I'd give one here because I think three stars is too many but two is not enough. The movie kept me interested, for the most part. But, ultimately, it's one of those things where you just have to say, "Weird," and let it go at that. If you start looking for definite answers or reasons why, you probably won't find them.