64
Metascore
9 reviews · Provided by Metacritic.com
- 75TheWrapKristen LopezTheWrapKristen LopezIt’s a character study, a moody atmospheric piece of contemplation with one character who, through interacting with others, unseen, on the phone comes away with a grander understanding of self. We, as the audience, come away with a grander understanding of our own interactions and how life changes without us ever knowing about it.
- 75ColliderTaylor GatesColliderTaylor GatesThere’s a lot to like about The Listener, with Thompson’s performance easily being the highlight. It’s a simple yet powerful story of finding connection and hope through the dark times.
- 75RogerEbert.comMatt Zoller SeitzRogerEbert.comMatt Zoller SeitzIt's sensitive, subtle, and restrained, and asks more of the audience than it's typically willing to give.
- 70The Hollywood ReporterLeslie FelperinThe Hollywood ReporterLeslie FelperinThe whole collaboration feels undeniably stagey, but it’s still an empathic and frequently moving work that touches on the sheer volume of callers that workers like Thompson’s character, often unpaid volunteers, must contend with every day.
- 70Screen DailyWendy IdeScreen DailyWendy IdeThe cumulative stress of the pandemic is everywhere, as pervasive and ubiquitous as the omicron variant. Beth’s lonely home-working set-up; the eerie quiet in the predawn hours; the brittle desperation in the callers’ voices; the sheer volume of cries for help: it all captures the sense of teetering on the brink, the uncertainty, the unfamiliar anxieties of the first lockdown.
- 70The New York TimesLisa KennedyThe New York TimesLisa KennedyFor their part, Buscemi and Thompson utilize the complementary power of stillness and the close-up to create a portrait of a woman who hears so much and divulges so little.
- 60The GuardianPeter BradshawThe GuardianPeter BradshawThis is an intriguing, if undeveloped performance piece, elevated by Thompson’s class.
- Tessa Thompson answering phone calls is not enough to justify a feature-length film. A short film absolutely would have knocked this out of the park, but there is just nothing holding your attention here.