Vertical revealed the official trailer for The Listener, the indie drama film starring Tessa Thompson in the film’s only on-screen role as Beth, a helpline volunteer.
Also heard but not see in the film are Logan Marshall-Green, Derek Cecil, Margaret Cho, Blu Del Barrio, Ricky Velez, Alia Shawkat, Jamie Hector, Casey Wilson, Bobby Soto, and Rebecca Hall.
Release Date
Directed by Steve Buscemi, The Listener world premiered at Venice International Film Festival and will be released on March 29.
Synopsis
Directed by Steve Buscemi and starring Tessa Thompson as Beth, a helpline volunteer who is part of the small army that gets on the phone every night across America, fielding calls from all kinds of people feeling lonely, broken, hopeless. Over the last year, the tide has become a tsunami. As Beth goes through her shift, the stakes rise: is this the night she will lose someone? Save someone? Eventually, Beth’s own story comes to light, revealing why she does it. All along we remain with her: listening, comforting, connecting – patching the world back together, one stitch at a time.
Review
Guardian review called the film ‘uneven drama is elevated by the poise and focus of its lone star’, writing, “Tessa Thompson brings calm, poise and focus to this low-key actor-project-type drama which is unsure exactly where to place its emotional revelation or how much dramatic emphasis to put on it. But, thanks to Thompson, it is certainly watchable, for all that you expect some off-camera voice to say “scene” at the end of each big speech.”
In their review, Collider graded the film a B and gave high marks to Tessa Thompson’s performance, writing, “The Listener simply wouldn’t work without Thompson’s performance, as the entire film hinges on it. In fact, she’s the only person we ever actually see. Though there are many other characters, we experience them as Beth does: just by hearing their voices. She and the film handle each of these people with compassion, discovering humanity and vulnerability even in those that you are meant to find ethically questionable. It doesn’t give you any easy answers, turning away from black and white to sit firmly in the gray area. It also deals with difficult topics like suicide, depression, racism, abuse, and more with a careful hand. It is a melodrama, but it never feels exploitative, nor does it drift into after-school special territory.”
Official Trailer
Watch the official trailer for The Listener