The Night Listener and Wal-Mart Horrors

[kybearfuzz]

After work today I decided to catch an early showing of The Night Listener. I had planned to see it and saw Chuck's (anziulewicz entry on the movie and decided that today would be good as I have no softball game tonight.

Robin Williams plays Gabriel Noone, a radio show storyteller whose personal life is falling apart after his partner Jess moves out of their home to have "some space." In the midst of his personal crisis, his publisher hands him a book submission about a young boy who survived sexual abuse by his parents. The book touches him and he begins a friendship with the boy and his adoptive mother over the phone. However, certain events happen that make him doubt the identity of the boy and the truth behind the story. He travels to meet the boy and the mother only to find things aren't quite what he believed...

Robin Williams is excellent in this movie, showing that he really did earn that Oscar because of his ability to emote. He's showing his years, with graying beard and growing tummy (which I don't mind at all). Toni Collette also stars as the boy's creepy blind and adoptive mother. One of my favorite characters is played by the wonderful Sandra Oh, who seems to be popping up everywhere these days.

After the movie, I went to Wal-Mart for groceries, where sadly I encountered a short dumpy woman in a see-through tee-shirt and no bra. Her flabby, pendulous boobs were right there. You could see.. well.. everything... *shudder* Why on earth would you go out in such a thing???? If I wasn't gay before...

Did I enjoy the movie? Very much!
Watch it again? Yeah, I think so.
Buy the DVD? I think so.

Comments

The Book

[pink-halen.livejournal.com]

We have the audio book of the Night Listener read by Maupin himself. I am curious how much was left out. I'm certain that the night encounter with the hunky trucker was axed from the film as it didn't advance the plot but it did advance me just a bit.

Having read the book and knowing the ending means I don't think I would enjoy the movie as much. In fact, now I don't like the book after the trucker scene. (It's on the way to visit the boy.)

Robin Williams is a very good actor but there is always a percentage of the audience that want him to do Mork and nothing else.

I'm really not sure how to classify this story. It is not really a horror show or thriller but there are elements of that. Maupin can spin a wonderful yarn. And there is even a tidbit for the "Tales of the City" Fans.