BlazeLime Strong and Moving!

ChanBot i must have seen a different film!!

Spidersecu Don't Believe the Hype

AnhartLinkin This story has more twists and turns than a second-rate soap opera.

labrat70 A score of 5.9 with 12,000 reviewers here on IMDb reminds me of just how simple minded the majority of movie goers can be. But if your IQ is higher than room temperature readings and you enjoy a complex, thought provoking, psychological flicks, then this is a must see for you.If you are tuning in for a Robin Williams' laugh, forget it. This is a serious role and effortlessly show that Williams' talent went far beyond just comic roles. Perhaps fellow movie goers rated this film low out of disappointed not to find any chuckles in this flick, or were upset to find another movie where Williams' character was a homosexual male. Your guess is as good as mine.Toni Colette's outstanding performance shouldn't be missed by her following; it is perhaps, her best work that has gone unappreciated and unrecognized.Don't miss out on this little sleeper.

lavatch In the hands of a gifted writer like Armistead Maupin, this bizarre yarn is another engaging "tale of the City." Robin Williams is good as the genial and sensitive radio call-in host, who comes to believe a tragic story about a young boy in recovery from a vicious assault. But is there anything truthful about the story? As indicated in the film, "The Night Listener" draws upon medical science for a case of "factitious disorder." The psychological principle of cognitive dissonance describes a lie in which the individual has come to believe that it is real. In the case of this film, one character is clearly desperately seeking attention.In one of the most intriguing lines in the film, Williams's character Gabriel states on his talk show that "Donna and I are more alike than not." But the film portrays just the opposite in the caring, sensitive Gabriel, who is pitted against the monomaniacal Donna, as credibly performed by Toni Colette.The film is really about the war of wills between Gabriell, pursuing the truth about little Pete, and Donna's desperate attempt to keep her fictitious story alive. But there was an inherent dishonesty in the film's early scenes depicting little Pete, as played by actor Rory Culkin. The film was intentionally deceiving the audience down to the last detail of a town named Montgomery, Wisconsin (none exists) and the zip code on the letter received by Gabe (the wrong zip for Wisconsin).Some of the supporting roles, such as the mean-spirited residents of the small Wisconsin town, stretched credibility. And some of the dialogue seemed too pat and simplistic. Lines such as "Real isn't how you are made; it's the thing that happens to you" were weak arguments about the conflict of heredity versus environment.Still, this was a compelling film that raised the essential question about the "factitious disorder. " While this syndrome may not be prevalent to the degree that it is portrayed in the character of Donna, it may it may be more commonplace than we think.

feakes The night Listener has a very unique story. When Gabriel No one is given a book by his friend. His friend is considering publishing the book Despite the fact nothing in the book has been proved. The Book details the life of a boy named Peter Logand. Peter describes a life of horrible sexual abuse by his parents .In the End Peter Escapes but not after getting AIDS. He is now living with Donna is adopted mother and former social worker. After Gabriel reads the book. Peter calls him and they begin a friendship. The Friendship fixes a large hole in Gabriel's life as his longtime boyfriend has recently left him. As Gabriel gets to know Peter and Donna . Questions rise up about the validity of the claims made by them. Also the validity of Peter does the Boy exist or not ? Gabriel is drawn into a mystery in which everything he knows will be questioned. And his life will be placed in very real danger. In the end Gabriel comes no closer to the truth . Robin Williams does a very fine job here. His Gabriel is sympathetic and a crusader. If a child was in danger he wants to help.His life is falling apart and Williams reflects that. Toni Collete does outstanding work here as Donna Logand the woman with something to hide. This movie is hers and Williams. And they give us a treat.

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.