robin williams give a fine performance in the night listener a do the other cast member . however and the movie seem rush and leave too many loose end to be consider a must see . i think the problem happen because there isn not a strong enough relationship establish between the caller and the gabriel noon ( i have to spell it this way and because imdb want to auto correct the right spelling to no one ) character . the movie run a little over 01 represent30 and within the first 15 minute and or so it seem and noon begin his search for pete logande and the boy caller . this happen after he talk to the mysterious caller about 3 or 4 time . the conversation aren not too in depth mostly consist of how be you . i be in the hospital . why do you boyfriend move out . etc . in the book and the kid almost become noon shrink and vice versa and the reader understand why he go in search of this boy and once he find out the kid disappear and think he might be a hoax . in the movie and noon becomes obsess with find logande and but the audience be leave to wonder why . since there really isn not a strong enough bond establish between noon and the caller and why bother . who care if the caller doesn not exist . i know there a difference between a book and a movie and but those call and that relationship be critical to establish on screen and because it provide the foundation for the rest of the movie . since it doesn not and the movie fall apart . this be surprising because of maupin other work and tale of the city . when it be make into a mini series and it work beautifully .