‘The Listener’ Starring Tessa Thompson Is A Intimate Look At Empathy and Connection [MOVIE REVIEW]

The 2020 pandemic affected us all in an assortment of ways. Some lost family members, essential workers were placed in a grueling position to maintain some level of normalcy, and many faced extreme bouts of loneliness and depression from the mandated quarantines around the world. It’s a moment in recent history that is hard to fathom and equally hard to forget, but one thing the pandemic did was solidify we’re alike more than we think and are just trying to get through our individual battles in life. The Steve Buscemi-directed and Alessandro Camon-written film “The Listener” encompasses all those pandemic feelings for me and beyond.

In the film Tessa Thompson plays Beth, “a crisis helpline volunteer who gets on the phone every night, fielding calls from people feeling lonely, broken, hopeless.” Very early on the film it’s clear Beth is the only person, physically, we’re going to spend time with over the course of the story. The movie takes viewers on a shift with Beth from the start to the end with a multifarious of callers. We never see them, but Logan Marshall-Green, Derek Cecil, Margaret Cho, Blu Del Barrio, Ricky Velez, Alia Shawkat, Jamie Hector, Casey Wilson, Bobby Soto, and Rebecca Hall lend voice work as the callers throughout the night.

Tessa Thompson as Beth in “The Listener.” Photo: Vertical

The first call we hear is from a former inmate as he goes into detail about life after prison, the irony of having to wear a mask entering stores, and the pandemic in general. Beth lends a compassionate ear with a melodious baritone that is hypnotizing throughout the film. Tessa does an exceptional job with her voice work and that’s what kept my intrigue throughout the film. Her voice was so soothing it was like listening to a podcast or a radio broadcast with various callers tuning in.

Tessa Thompson as Beth in “The Listener.” Photo: Vertical

“The Listener” is slow a times. Since Tessa is the only person we’re visually looking at throughout the film it’s easy to disassociate, especially if the caller at the time doesn’t pique your interest. The calls throughout the night range on subject matter from the physically abused, suicidal, depressed, and even someone wanting to engage in sexual activity. Beth’s movement throughout the film from her changing locations in her apartment or adjusting her hair during her shift plays to the Beth’s state of mind and feelings of towards the different callers.

One main thing I picked up on this film is how draining a job like a crisis hotline operator can be. Beth made a point at one part in the film to explain how she takes herself out of the job and it was a question I was dying to know also how she decompresses afterwards and that was also shown in the film.

Tessa Thompson as Beth in “The Listener.” Photo: Vertical

The last caller in the film was by far the most interesting as the conversation allowed us to finally get to know more about Beth and it opened an interesting dynamic about religion, morality, and loneliness. “The Listener” is a film that will definitely be a conversation starter and will sit with you long after the credits and have you reflecting on your relationship to strangers and how their stories can or cannot impact your life.

“The Listener” comes to theaters and VOD on March 29, 2024.

Watch the official trailer for “The Listener” below.

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