Knight at the Movies ARCHIVES
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Emotional complexity lurking inside a mystery and the reverse
In the new movie The Night Listener Robin Williams plays Gabriel Noone, a writer living in New York who has relayed his personal
stories on a radio show called “Noone at Night” that’s like Ira Glass’ NPR-based “This American Life.” But after a long successful run,
Gabriel finds himself in the midst of a crisis when his partner of ten years Jess (Bobby Cannavale) moves out. In an effort to shake
him out of his depression, his book agent, Ashe (Joe Morton), hands Gabriel an extraordinary manuscript from 14 year-old Pete
Logand (Rory Culkin), one of his biggest fans and asks him to take a look at it.
Unwillingly, Gabriel does and is so moved by Pete’s writing gift in detailing his tragic history of severe sexual abuse and a maturity
beyond his years that he slowly forms an attachment via a series of phone calls with the young man. Pete, who is suffering from
AIDS, now lives in Wisconsin with his adoptive mother, Donna (Toni Collette). But is Pete a real person or are he and Donna one
and the same, as Jess contends when he hears both voices on the phone?
Gabriel heads for Wisconsin to solve this mystery which becomes the heart of a tantalizing movie that will ultimately succeed or fail
with audiences based on their willingness to suspend their common sense. At many points throughout you find yourself ten steps
ahead of Gabriel and asking questions like, “Didn’t this guy ever hear of Map Quest?” But even if the movie doesn’t work as a
mystery/psychological thriller (which is how its being sold), knowing up front that it’s been inspired by true events gives this strange
story plenty of resonance – especially in the era of the phony memoir. That and a return to form performance by Robin Williams
make it a worthwhile effort. Another reason to see the movie is the complex, note perfect performance by Collette, who is also seen
this week to startling effect in the not to be missed caustic comedy Little Miss Sunshine.
The true events that the material is based on happened to writer and gay icon Armistead Maupin which he then transformed into a
bestselling novel. 13 years after the actual events occurred, Maupin and his now ex-partner Terry Anderson have co-written the
screenplay for The Night Listener (Maupin is also an Executive Producer) which is directed by Patrick Stettner. Stettner’s debut feature
was the little seen but extremely well acted dramatic thriller, The Business of Strangers. He has fashioned a follow-up that can safely
be called a thoughtful psychological thriller in the Hitchcock mode (though it’s closer in spirit to the dramatic pulp of Marnie than the
deadly romanticism of Vertigo).
Like Stettner’s previous feature, Night Listener plays upon an audience’s lightning fast ability to shift loyalties from one character to
the other. Thus, we are cued to empathize with Gabriel (in no small measure because Williams plays the role) over the end of his
ten year relationship with Jess until an outburst from Jess makes us see a much less appealing side of Gabriel. Likewise, our
feelings toward Donna are turned on its head several times throughout the movie (even through a silly, melodramatic coda that
feels tacked on).
The mystery aspect of the story would probably have made much more sense if the movie had been set nearer the time of the real
incident upon which it is based – 1993 – rather than after the advent of the internet. People have incredible access to information
now and can arm themselves in seconds via a Google search but though Sandra Oh, playing Gabriel’s supportive friend, trolls the
internet at one point, trying to glean information on the boy, it feels cursory at best.
The movie could have also used many more of the phone conversations between Gabriel and Pete for this relationship – between
the emotionally suffering Gabriel yearning for connection and Pete, yearning for a parent – particularly resonates. It’s these phone
conversations – in which we may or may not hear the voice change between Rory Culkin and Toni Collette – that are the strongest
aspects of what is essentially a radio drama. The movie falls into the same trap that befell Sorry, Wrong Number. How to make a
voice on the phone interesting visually?
The movie doesn’t solve that conundrum but thanks to the films rich emotional content and Maupin’s sure sense of storytelling, The
Night Listener is worth tuning into at your local Cineplex.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Gay co-directors and partners Keith Fulton and Louis Pepe have carved out an interesting niche for themselves documenting the
behind the scenes making of movies (including the fascinating, feature length Lost In La Mancha). Now the pair has released their
first fiction feature, Brothers of the Head and it’s safe to say that these two aren’t going to lose any Brownie Points when it
comes to originality.
The movie, based on a novel, is a faux documentary (it delivers a half-nelson to the ‘mockumentary’ genre) about the attempt to
turn conjoined twin brothers Tom and Barry Howe (Luke and Tom Treadaway – real life twins) into proto punk rock stars ala David
Bowie and Johnny Rotten. Set in England in the early 70s at the cusp of the punk era that shook the country to its musical roots, the
movie is Dickensian in the extreme: the brothers are sold by their father into the evil clutches of a music impresario who sees a cash
cow in the lads who turns them over to a brutal manager. The usual talking heads reminiscing are interspersed with riveting
“archival” footage of the twins. They’re obsessively filmed, in true Maysles Brothers style, by the sunny but creepy Eddie (Tom
Bower), beaten by their “handler,” and one of them is adored by the beautiful but selfish journalist, Laura (Tania Emery). Quickly,
the lads descend into the excesses of rock culture that Fulton and Pepe vividly capture. This is the rock-n-roll milieu of the period
that films like Almost Famous only dreamed about. The film also includes intense live musical numbers and poetic rock songs
(perfectly realized by songwriter Clive Langer), elusive dream imagery, and strong hints of an unrequited gay love of one brother for
the other that adds to the uneasy, freak show undercurrent of the movie. If you’ve longed to see a movie that crosses Gimme
Shelter with The Elephant Man, you’ve got your wish at last.
stories on a radio show called “Noone at Night” that’s like Ira Glass’ NPR-based “This American Life.” But after a long successful run,
Gabriel finds himself in the midst of a crisis when his partner of ten years Jess (Bobby Cannavale) moves out. In an effort to shake
him out of his depression, his book agent, Ashe (Joe Morton), hands Gabriel an extraordinary manuscript from 14 year-old Pete
Logand (Rory Culkin), one of his biggest fans and asks him to take a look at it.
Unwillingly, Gabriel does and is so moved by Pete’s writing gift in detailing his tragic history of severe sexual abuse and a maturity
beyond his years that he slowly forms an attachment via a series of phone calls with the young man. Pete, who is suffering from
AIDS, now lives in Wisconsin with his adoptive mother, Donna (Toni Collette). But is Pete a real person or are he and Donna one
and the same, as Jess contends when he hears both voices on the phone?
Gabriel heads for Wisconsin to solve this mystery which becomes the heart of a tantalizing movie that will ultimately succeed or fail
with audiences based on their willingness to suspend their common sense. At many points throughout you find yourself ten steps
ahead of Gabriel and asking questions like, “Didn’t this guy ever hear of Map Quest?” But even if the movie doesn’t work as a
mystery/psychological thriller (which is how its being sold), knowing up front that it’s been inspired by true events gives this strange
story plenty of resonance – especially in the era of the phony memoir. That and a return to form performance by Robin Williams
make it a worthwhile effort. Another reason to see the movie is the complex, note perfect performance by Collette, who is also seen
this week to startling effect in the not to be missed caustic comedy Little Miss Sunshine.
The true events that the material is based on happened to writer and gay icon Armistead Maupin which he then transformed into a
bestselling novel. 13 years after the actual events occurred, Maupin and his now ex-partner Terry Anderson have co-written the
screenplay for The Night Listener (Maupin is also an Executive Producer) which is directed by Patrick Stettner. Stettner’s debut feature
was the little seen but extremely well acted dramatic thriller, The Business of Strangers. He has fashioned a follow-up that can safely
be called a thoughtful psychological thriller in the Hitchcock mode (though it’s closer in spirit to the dramatic pulp of Marnie than the
deadly romanticism of Vertigo).
Like Stettner’s previous feature, Night Listener plays upon an audience’s lightning fast ability to shift loyalties from one character to
the other. Thus, we are cued to empathize with Gabriel (in no small measure because Williams plays the role) over the end of his
ten year relationship with Jess until an outburst from Jess makes us see a much less appealing side of Gabriel. Likewise, our
feelings toward Donna are turned on its head several times throughout the movie (even through a silly, melodramatic coda that
feels tacked on).
The mystery aspect of the story would probably have made much more sense if the movie had been set nearer the time of the real
incident upon which it is based – 1993 – rather than after the advent of the internet. People have incredible access to information
now and can arm themselves in seconds via a Google search but though Sandra Oh, playing Gabriel’s supportive friend, trolls the
internet at one point, trying to glean information on the boy, it feels cursory at best.
The movie could have also used many more of the phone conversations between Gabriel and Pete for this relationship – between
the emotionally suffering Gabriel yearning for connection and Pete, yearning for a parent – particularly resonates. It’s these phone
conversations – in which we may or may not hear the voice change between Rory Culkin and Toni Collette – that are the strongest
aspects of what is essentially a radio drama. The movie falls into the same trap that befell Sorry, Wrong Number. How to make a
voice on the phone interesting visually?
The movie doesn’t solve that conundrum but thanks to the films rich emotional content and Maupin’s sure sense of storytelling, The
Night Listener is worth tuning into at your local Cineplex.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Gay co-directors and partners Keith Fulton and Louis Pepe have carved out an interesting niche for themselves documenting the
behind the scenes making of movies (including the fascinating, feature length Lost In La Mancha). Now the pair has released their
first fiction feature, Brothers of the Head and it’s safe to say that these two aren’t going to lose any Brownie Points when it
comes to originality.
The movie, based on a novel, is a faux documentary (it delivers a half-nelson to the ‘mockumentary’ genre) about the attempt to
turn conjoined twin brothers Tom and Barry Howe (Luke and Tom Treadaway – real life twins) into proto punk rock stars ala David
Bowie and Johnny Rotten. Set in England in the early 70s at the cusp of the punk era that shook the country to its musical roots, the
movie is Dickensian in the extreme: the brothers are sold by their father into the evil clutches of a music impresario who sees a cash
cow in the lads who turns them over to a brutal manager. The usual talking heads reminiscing are interspersed with riveting
“archival” footage of the twins. They’re obsessively filmed, in true Maysles Brothers style, by the sunny but creepy Eddie (Tom
Bower), beaten by their “handler,” and one of them is adored by the beautiful but selfish journalist, Laura (Tania Emery). Quickly,
the lads descend into the excesses of rock culture that Fulton and Pepe vividly capture. This is the rock-n-roll milieu of the period
that films like Almost Famous only dreamed about. The film also includes intense live musical numbers and poetic rock songs
(perfectly realized by songwriter Clive Langer), elusive dream imagery, and strong hints of an unrequited gay love of one brother for
the other that adds to the uneasy, freak show undercurrent of the movie. If you’ve longed to see a movie that crosses Gimme
Shelter with The Elephant Man, you’ve got your wish at last.
Voices in the Dark:
The Night Listener-Brothers of the Head
8-2-06 Knight at the Movies Column
By Richard Knight, Jr.
The Night Listener-Brothers of the Head
8-2-06 Knight at the Movies Column
By Richard Knight, Jr.
