Today’s quick review: Listening. David (Thomas Stroppel) and Ryan (Artie Ahr) are a pair of grad students on the verge of a breakthrough: a machine that can read people’s thoughts. Their research gets the boost it needs when they meet Jordan (Amber Marie Bollinger), a brilliant grad student who catches Ryan’s eye. But internal tensions threaten to tear the trio apart, even as their project draws attention from a government spook (Steve Hanks).
Listening is a budget science fiction drama about three students who discover the key to telepathy. Listening follows David, Ryan, and Jordan as they try to keep their miraculous project on track in the face of fraying personal lives and conflicting visions. The movie shows some of the rough edges of a budget project, but it carries itself well, with capable acting, thoughtful speculation, and a well-structured plot.
Listening’s greatest strength is its writing. The script isn’t the best the sci-fi genre has to offer, but it handles its plot threads with skill. The trajectory of the story depends on interpersonal relationships, research decisions, and the nature of the device itself, all of which are presented with thought and care. Listening is not high drama, but it ties the logical, emotional, and speculative aspects of its story into a cohesive whole.
Moreover, the film has a robust sense of progression. Unlike other budget sci-fi productions, Listening has plot to spare, and it doesn’t shy away from taking its premise to its logical conclusion. The cast is also up to the challenge. While there are no standout performances, there are no real missteps either. Still, Listening lacks the sheen that either a brilliant script or higher production values would bring; it is workmanlike.
Give Listening a try if you’re in the mood for grounded sci-fi. Listening does an admirable job with the tools at its disposal. It’s not compelling enough to win over skeptics, but sci-fi fans will appreciate what it gets right. Skip it if you’re looking for action, a true thriller, or anything resembling an upbeat story. For sci-fi with similar qualities, check out Primer, OtherLife, Synchronicity, or Eva.
5.6 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 6.5 for a solid plot with a few rough edges.