The Night Listener

Name: The Night Listener
Genre: Mystery, Thriller
Released: August 4, 2006
Duration: 82 min
Rating: 51
Cast: Robin Williams, Rory Culkin, Toni Collette

2006

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Mixed or average reviews based on 31 Critic Reviews

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Mixed or average reviews based on 33 Ratings

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5.0	User Score Mixed or average reviews based on 33 Ratings

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The Night Listener

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Movie Details & Credits

Miramax Films | Release Date: August 4, 2006 | R

Starring: Robin Williams, Rory Culkin, Toni Collette

Summary: This "thriller of the heart" is largely inspired by an extraordinary, unsettling true-life chain of events. (Miramax)

Director: Patrick Stettner

Genre(s): Mystery, Thriller

Rating: R

Runtime: 82 min

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Critic Reviews

Claudia Puig

This unconventional psychological drama weaves a fascinating tale, and Collette and Williams give two of the summer's best performances. Read full review

Michael Phillips

The pacing and staging of the later scenes could use a little more electricity and momentum, and a little less restraint. Yet The Night Listener keeps you watching. And listening. Read full review

Kirk Honeycutt

Plays like an Alfred Hitchcock thriller but is nevertheless a movie of ideas. It bristles with intriguing thoughts about the realm of fiction, how one loves, issues of identity and questions concerning how one transfers a real-life incident into big-screen fiction. This is a film that can crawl inside your skin. Read full review

Mick LaSalle

A movie with lots of heart but no heartbeat. Read full review

Ella Taylor

As a performer, Robin Williams has a wonderfully volatile range; as an actor, he commutes uneasily between over-sincere and over-sinister. Both modes are on full monochromatic display in this stolid noir thriller. Read full review

Jonathan Rosenbaum

The movie's suggestiveness gives way to a certain thinness and lassitude. Read full review

Joe Morgenstern

Depressed and depressing drama.

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User Reviews

RayR.

Aug 7, 2006

I always think a movie is good when it makes you think. This film does that . . . Do we really live around people like Dona? This film haunts and questions the human experience.

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ChadS.

Aug 4, 2006

The way Donna(Toni Collette) is first introduced in a phone conversation Gabriel(Robin Williams) has with Pete(Rory Culkin) confuses me. We should just hear her voice. It's a mistake to show her because Gabriel only had a picture of the budding young writer. From what we know of The way Donna(Toni Collette) is first introduced in a phone conversation Gabriel(Robin Williams) has with Pete(Rory Culkin) confuses me. We should just hear her voice. It's a mistake to show her because Gabriel only had a picture of the budding young writer. From what we know of Donna's condition later in the film, the way she looks is how Gabriel imagines her. Well, whatever. "The Night Listener" is a must-see for every person who saw "RV" and thought that Robin Williams should be put to sleep. It's his best outing since "Awakenings", and his first good role since "Insomnia". "The Night Listener" is a thriller that's understated, perhaps a bit too understated. But at least this indie didn't end with a Hollywood bang like "One Hour Photo".… Expand

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smiyamot

Jun 5, 2016

Why the low scores? I wasn't sure if this was a mystery, or a redemption movie, or a crime drama. That kept me guessing and made it more interesting. We find a man who is having personal drama in his life, when he is given a book to read by a friend. This starts him on a path, maybe aWhy the low scores? I wasn't sure if this was a mystery, or a redemption movie, or a crime drama. That kept me guessing and made it more interesting. We find a man who is having personal drama in his life, when he is given a book to read by a friend. This starts him on a path, maybe a quest. This is based on an actual event in someone's life so sometimes it doesn't make sense, just like real life.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

Cables

Feb 18, 2007

Not a bad movie. Very well acted. Unfortunately, it ends without any satisfaction. It's too short and not developed well enough.

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DaveD.

Aug 18, 2006

nothing more than average and not so impressive.

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JenK.

Feb 26, 2007

This was ok, but was very mundane and boring. I'm glad I got it at a redbox...1.08 is about all it's worth.

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CaryM.

Jan 28, 2007

This is one of the worst movies Robin Williams ever played in not only does this movie indulge in the gay lifes of two males. But there was no plot to this movie.

0 of 0 users found this helpful

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