Boulevard

It Seems as though Robin Williams didn't do much to Hide His Personal Pain in His Last Dramatic Role. Either that or it's Reading Too Much into the Fact that Shortly After Completing this Film, He Apparently Committed Suicide due to a Lifetime Battle with Severe Depression. It is the Story of a Gay Man who has Hidden His Homosexuality all His Life and at Age 60 Finds Himself Unable to do so anymore. Married with a Good but Thankless Job as a Bank Employee and a Compatible Wife With Whom He Loves and Relates, He is obviously quietly Hiding His Frustrations. After meeting and Falling "In Love" with a Younger Gay Hustler, His Life is Forced from its Seclusion. The Film is a Melancholy Character Study that seems a bit One Note and is Hardly Exploratory Beyond the Obvious. There are a few Poignant and Heartfelt Scenes, like when He comes to the Defense of His Friend with Great Peril to Himself, and His Interactions with His Wife who will Ultimately Bare the Brunt of Williams Life Changing Events. Overall, a Low-Key Drama that Breaks No New Ground, but might be Seen as a Metaphor for the Recent Supreme Court Decision that Unleashed the Homosexual Community from an Eternal Struggle for Acceptance. The Cast is Excellent but the Material is just too Familiar and Pedestrian to make this anything more than a Good Role for the Actor/Comedian and He Delivers one of His Most Restrained and Gentle Performances. R.I.P….Robin Williams

Director Dito Montiel ("A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints" and lead singer for "Gutterboy") joins forces with Writer Douglas Soesbe to present what ended up being Robin Williams' final on screen performance. Based roughly on Soesbe's own coming out story, the overall film is unfortunately calculated and predictable. The major cast members (relative newcomer Robert Aguire "Struck By Lighting" and the usually wonderful Kathy Baker " Picket Fences') all wear their wounded hearts on their sleeves, leaving little for the audience to root for and/or feel concerned amount. Luckily, Bob Odenkirk "Breaking Bad" adds a little self-absorbed heart-felt comedic relief. The blame here lies in the hands of the Director, Writer and Cinematographer Chung-hoon Chung. Look for this film to be over hyped, due to Williams' recent death, then fade away.

This film tells the story of a seemingly happy sixty year old man, with a decent job and a lovely wife. A random encounter makes him reevaluate his life priorities, and he decides to shred his lies and lives the life he really wants. As one of Robin Williams' final films, I'm so glad that "Boulevard" shines in just about every aspect, namely Robin Williams' performance, the plot and the brilliant production. The story is subtle but perfectly portrays the complex psychological battle that Nolan goes through. He's a man who is lonely, and yet he seeks attention from the wrong person, as in a person whose love is for rent. The final showdown between Nolan and Joy is very touching, because I feel for both Nolan and Joy. "Boulevard" tells a very engaging story about a man finally coming to terms with his inner turmoil. I hope more people will have a chance to watch it, because Nolan's story is actually not uncommon in real life.