The Night Listener

[Deleted]

I like all the actors in this movie and really am looking forward to seeing it, but I've heard rumbles. What do you know about it? (Spoilers, please!)

[tinyshoes]

I've read the book, and when I saw the preview, I was shocked that it was being pushed as a thriller (could just be the editing). Never got that vibe from the book.

[mariposalabrown]

I saw that 20/20 thing the other night about the kid, and the story really freaked me out. Now I'm afraid he/she will call me. I want to see it, because I like Robin WIlliams when he isn't acting like a damn fool.

[india7]

mariposalabrown said:

I like Robin WIlliams when he isn't acting like a damn fool.

Same here! I have such a different reaction to him depending on what he's in. I absolutely loathe him in comedy - he's just everywhere and never shuts up. The lone exception would be The Birdcage because he was extremely toned down there, allowing Nathan Lane to be "the screaming Queen."

But in dramas? I loooove him! He is just so wonderful and amazing when he just calms the fuck down and acts like a normal person - hey, taking a chill pill even got the guy an Oscar! So as soon as I saw that this was another one of his more dramatic turns, I decided I'd like to see this.

[kateln]

india7 said:

mariposalabrown said:

I like Robin WIlliams when he isn't acting like a damn fool.

Same here! I have such a different reaction to him depending on what he's in. I absolutely loathe him in comedy - he's just everywhere and never shuts up. The lone exception would be The Birdcage because he was extremely toned down there, allowing Nathan Lane to be "the screaming Queen."

But in dramas? I loooove him! He is just so wonderful and amazing when he just calms the fuck down and acts like a normal person - hey, taking a chill pill even got the guy an Oscar! So as soon as I saw that this was another one of his more dramatic turns, I decided I'd like to see this.

Add me to this list! When he does drama he's incredible (and his performance as a mourning husband on Homicide: LOTS made me cry). But this isn't the Robin Williams thread sooo....

If I'm correct this is based on a story by Amistad Maupin-who I like. And it sounds like an intersting film. I'll definately check it out.

[tinyshoes]

kateln said:

If I'm correct this is based on a story by Amistad Maupin-who I like. And it sounds like an intersting film. I'll definately check it out.

You are correct. But while the book had a mystery quality to it, it didn't seem like the thriller the movie is making it to be. But then thrillers bring in the bucks.

[Deleted]

What's the plot? I don't get it from the previews. I thought it was a horror movie.

[Deleted]

Well, it's got Robin Williams in it. That's half-way to "horror".

[kateln]

poorfrances said:

What's the plot? I don't get it from the previews. I thought it was a horror movie.

From what I've read, and looked up on Wiki, this is loosely based on the real-life predecessor to the current JT LeRoy hoax, it's not a horror, but its a mystery.

[incognito]

This was based on the story of Anthony Godby Johnson (author of "A Rock and a Hard Place"...read it, it's an interesting work of "non-fiction"), purportedly a 14-year-old HIV+ boy who was befriended by many people (famous and not)...who had never met him. It has never been definitively proven whether or not the kid exists (I'm personally leaning on the side of total hoax). I know that there was a nice long New Yorker article about one guy's search to track down Tony.

I believe that Maupin was one of the writers who befriended "Tony", so that inspired The Night Listener.