Review of The Night Listener (2006) by Ryan S — 19 Jul 2010
The Night Listener doesn't pile on twist after twist, but it does keep you in a state of uneasy wariness. Overall it's just another variation on *SPOILER* The Sixth Sense's "OMG HE WUZ A GHOST?" ending, but by creating an atmosphere of constant unease, the shocks and turns in the plot start to lose their impact before long.
A few scenes and backstory involving pedophile carry a distasteful tinge to them, and cast very unpleasant tones throughout the entire picture. The arbitrary romantic subplot feels just as standard as most films'; it functions as another emotional connection to the main character.
The fact that Robon Williams' character is homosexual does add some unintentional but highly unpleasant undertones when coupled with the pedophilia plot elements. A lot of this feels unnecessarily over-the-top (as one character states himself).
The film tries to justify it by arguing that this stuff actually happens (child abuse, murder etc) although it's just a way to keep the veil over your eyes until the end. "This is not a parlor trick", Williams says at one point.
But it is, and not a very pleasant or unique one.
This review of The Night Listener (2006) was written by Ryan S on 19 Jul 2010.
The Night Listener has generally received mixed reviews.
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