Steve Buscemi hasn’t directed a film in a while: since 2007, with “Interview,” which he co-starred in with Sienna Miller. But now the “actor’s actor” is again behind the camera for his latest film. Or rather, he premiered “The Listener” at the Venice Film Festival two years ago, and Vertical Entertainment finally has it ready for a day-and-date theatrical release later this month.
So what’s “The Listener” about? Tessa Thompson stars in an intimate drama as a helpline volunteer and her day-to-day life as she fields calls from across the US.
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Here’s an official synopsis for Buscemi’s latest, courtesy of Vertical:
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.
Along with Thompson, “The Listener” also stars Logan Marshall-Green, Derek Cecil, Margaret Cho, Blu Del Barrio, and Ricky Velez. Supporting roles include Alia Shawkat, Jamie Hector, Casey Wilson, Bobby Soto, and Rebecca Hall.
Buscemi directs a script by Alessandro Camon for the film, and also leads producers with Wren Arthur, Oren Moverman, Lauren Hantz, and Thompson.
As noted earlier, “The Listener” had its world premiere at the 2022 Venice Film Festival in the Giornate Degli Autiro section. The Playlist’s review out the festival that year wasn’t kind to Buscemi’s film, calling it a “well-intentioned affair,” but one that “lacks the warm empathy of his [other] work.”
But that shouldn’t dissuade audiences when “The Listener” hits theaters on March 29. Watch the trailer for the film below.
