The Listener (film)
| The Listener | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Steve Buscemi |
| Written by | Alessandro Camon |
| Produced by |
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| Starring |
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| Cinematography | Anka Malatynska |
| Edited by | Kate Williams |
| Music by | Aska Matsumiya |
Production companies |
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| Distributed by | Vertical Entertainment |
Release dates |
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Running time | 96 minutes[1] |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
The Listener is a 2022 American drama film directed by Steve Buscemi and written by Alessandro Camon. It stars Tessa Thompson in the film's only on-screen role as a helpline volunteer.
The film premiered at the 2022 Venice International Film Festival, and was released in the United States by Vertical Entertainment on March 29, 2024.
Plot
Beth, a "listener" for callers to simply talk to, receives a call from a previous inmate who was just released a year ago, a man that just told his wife he doesn't love her anymore and a young woman whose abusive boyfriend wants to pimp her out which upsets Beth. Beth then receives a call from a child sex offender, and he talks about his recent actions and asks Beth personal questions about her looks, challenging her that she doesn't understand his problems and difficulties because she's "good looking" and that he is horrid, and an evolutionary failure. She soon becomes uncomfortable speaking to this individual and ends the call. As she goes through each call she receives, she uses methods to deter her vulnerability but also provides resources and encouragement to the callers.
Cast
- Tessa Thompson as Beth
Voice cast
- Margaret Cho as Corinne
- Rebecca Hall as Laura
- Alia Shawkat as Sharon
- Logan Marshall-Green as Michael
- Derek Cecil as Andy
- Blu del Barrio as Jinx
- Ricky Velez as Ellis
- Jamie Hector as Ray
- Casey Wilson as Ruby
- Bobby Soto as Chris
Production
The Listener was directed by Buscemi from a script by Alessandro Camon. It is an American co-production between Olive Productions, Sight Unseen Pictures, and Hantz Motion Pictures.
Principal photography took place in Los Angeles between August and September 2021.[2]
Release
The Listener premiered as the closing film of the Giornate Degli Autori section of the 2022 Venice International Film Festival on September 9, 2022.[3][4] It also screened in Industry Selects section of the 2022 Toronto International Film Festival.[5]
In February 2024, Vertical Entertainment acquired distribution rights to the film in North America, United Kingdom and Ireland, scheduling it for a day-and-date release in the United States on March 29, 2024.[6]
Reception
On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 74% of 46 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 6.60/10.[7] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 64 out of 100, based on 9 critics, indicating "generally favorable" reviews.[8]
References
- ^ "The Listener (15)". BBFC. April 4, 2024. Retrieved April 5, 2024.
- ^ Grobar, Matt (October 12, 2021). "The Listener: Tessa Thompson To Topline Latest Feature From Director Steve Buscemi". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on October 12, 2021. Retrieved October 12, 2021.
- ^ Calnan, Ellie (July 28, 2022). "Abel Ferrara, Steve Buscemi, Georgia Oakley, Fyzal Boulifa films among Venice's Giornate degli Autori line-up". Screen Daily. Retrieved August 22, 2022.
- ^ Goodfellow, Melanie (July 28, 2022). "Abel Ferrara, Shia LaBeouf And Steve Buscemi Head To Venice Sidebar Giornate Degli Autori; San Sebastian Unveils Contenders For New Directors Award – Global Briefs". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved August 22, 2022.
- ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (August 23, 2022). "TIFF Industry Selects Section Includes Steve Buscemi's The Listener, Bill Pohlad's Dreamin' Wild; Jason Reitman's Live Read Returns". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved August 24, 2022.
- ^ Grobar, Matt (February 12, 2024). "Tessa Thompson Helpline Drama 'The Listener' Directed By Steve Buscemi Lands At Vertical". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved February 12, 2024.
- ^ "The Listener". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved June 28, 2024.
- ^ "The Listener". Metacritic. Fandom, Inc. Retrieved June 28, 2024.
External links
- The Listener at IMDb