|
|
|
|
|
In the craziness of our daily life, sometimes we just need to let it all out—to talk about our challenges and frustrations and maybe even our secrets, too. And Steve Buscemi’s directorial debut, The Listener, spends a night with a woman who’s tasked with listening to the city’s stories.
The Listener stars Tessa Thompson as “Beth,” a helpline volunteer who spends her nights taking calls from a variety of people who just need a listening ear. Beth handles each call with care and compassion—or a firm response when needed—giving each of these hurting people her full attention. And as she walks through her dark, quiet home, she uses her training and the pain of her own past to listen, to talk, and to offer hope and maybe even some words of wisdom to the people who call in.
As Beth takes one call after another, she listens to stories of abuse, homelessness, mental illness, and suicidal thoughts. She hears pain, guilt, and fear—and she uses her calmest, kindest tones to try to give her callers peace and comfort for as long as she can keep them on the line. Hers is a soothing voice in the chaos. But when the call ends, Beth is left to wonder if she did enough—if the caller will be okay—knowing that there’s nothing more that she can do for them.
This certainly isn’t the film that you’d expect from a guy who’s best known playing either awkward tough guys or one of Adam Sandler’s buddies. It’s quiet and thought-provoking, offering viewers a glimpse inside the lives of so many hurting people. Admittedly, it’s not really an easy film to watch—because it’s so plain and simple. There’s no real action or suspense—no growing conflict. It’s simply a woman sitting alone in her home, having a series of brief conversations with faceless strangers. Yet, in the simplicity of it all, there’s a kind of honesty and sincerity that makes it a moving film—one that will keep audiences captivated by these callers and their stories and by the woman who stays up through the night, helping them carry their burdens.
The Listener isn’t a tense or action-packed film. It introduces voices on the phone, only to end their story and move on to the next. But there’s something about this rather straightforward, quiet film that makes it sincere and dramatic and moving.
You can listen in with Beth when The Listener comes to select theaters and VOD on March 29, 2024.
Listen to the review on Reel Discovery:
|
|
|
|
