Boulevard: O Amor no Retrovisor

Nolan Mack (Robin Williams) is a stiff banker married to Joy (Kathy Baker). They seem devoted but he's been a closeted homosexual for all of his adult life. His father is in a nursing home. His best friend Winston (Bob Odenkirk) has a young girlfriend. He is being primed to be the manager of a new bank branch. One night, he cruises a boulevard and runs over male-prostitute Leo. He tries to take care of Leo who is under the thumb of his pimp Eddie.

Robin Williams does a good job. There is a neediness in Nolan that is both off-putting and compelling. The story is almost quaint by today's standard. The problem is that he could come out to everybody and there wouldn't be any damage. Times have basically passed by this movie. Ten years ago, this would be edgy. Today, his homosexuality could actually help in his banking job. It would probably be a relief to Joy to let the secret out into the open and Winston would throw him a party.

"Sometimes it's nice to be somewhere else." Nolan (Williams) has a great wife and a huge promotion coming at his job. He has everything going for him, but he has been keeping a secret from everyone his whole life. When he meets Leo (Aguire) he finally finds a way to be himself, but he still struggles with revealing himself. There are some movies that are made better by casting choices. There are some things that a person is the perfect choice for and you can't imagine watching it without them (Gandolfini in the Sopranos). This movie is the rare combination of those plus real world events that makes the movie actually transcend the screen and makes it feel more real and it has that much more of an impact. In this movie Robin Williams plays a character that struggle with something that he has to keep hidden from everyone while trying to be who they want him to be. The fact that he himself was trying to hide depression from everyone while trying to still be "Robin Williams" really adds an extra dimension to the character and makes the movie all the more emotional. The movie itself if just OK, but the real world events are really what makes this a movie to watch. Overall, very poetic that this is the final live action Robin Williams movie. It is almost his way of telling us how he was dealing with his problems. For that reason I recommend this. I give this a B+.

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.

Greetings again from the darkness. The tragic death of Robin Williams last year left a void in the world of comedy, and his absence is also felt on the big screen where his dramatic skills were often under-appreciated. His final non-comedic role comes courtesy of a film that is probably not worthy of his talents, but leaves us with a reminder of what a skilled actor he was.

The premise feels at once a bit dated and also timely. Williams plays Nolan, a 60 year old man who works at his comfortable bank job (of 26 years), goes home each day to his comfortable suburban home, to a comfortable marriage to his wife (Kathy Baker) with whom he no longer shares a bed or much of anything else. He also periodically stops off to put a straw in the ginger ale for his near comatose father with whom he has never had much of a relationship. His entire life is a façade of comfort and life lived well enough.

"Are you happy?" That seemingly odd and innocent question from his boss sets Nolan off on a path of awakening. It turns out that since he was 12 years old, Nolan has suppressed his true identity as a gay man. A spontaneous u-turn on the titular Boulevard sends Nolan on a collision path with Leo (Roberto Aguire), a young male prostitute with whom he quickly bonds … through only talking and self-identification.

It's this awakening that brings a level of modern-timeliness as Nolan's story is not so different from that of Bruce/Caitlyn Jenner who has dominated the recent media with the late-in-life shift in persona. They are sixty-plus year old men who have evidently each lived a lie for much of their lives. It's difficult for many of us to relate to, but clearly it's a real thing, and director Dito Montiel and writer Douglas Soesbe capitalize.

The best and most uncomfortable scenes occur with Ms. Baker and Mr. Williams avoiding the issue through years of practice, and also the scenes with Mr. Williams and Bob Odenkirk who plays his long-time friend and confidant. These are three strong actors who work well with each other.

There is really nothing wrong with the film … it's slow pace designed to match that of Nolan's life … but the Nolan and Leo segment just never clicked, leaving me struggling with a third of the story. It's about a man who is totally not comfortable in his own skin, and lives a somber and unfulfilled life right up until the point where he takes a leap. It's not that he takes a leap, but rather the specific leap he takes that just didn't click for me. Still, it's a performance from Williams that is worth watching – in fact, must be watched if you are a Robin Williams fan.

The fact that it is / was the last film of Williams add something to the viewing itself. I am not completely familiar with his death, so I can not really say how - maybe - this movie fits into his last months of life...But I can see that some stories can unfold something deeply hidden in someone and make an explosion.

This is a good drama. Williams is very believable in his role. It does feel genuine and somehow fits him good.

Someone wrote that the film is predictable.Well, for me, at least, I did not see that kind of an ending. I am not sure if I expected a happy ending with the boy, but... I am happy that my predictions ( whatever they were) did not come true.

Somehow, the slow pace of the movie and kinda darker colors / cinematography reminded me of the 60's and 70's and that added something moody, melancholic to the movie which I liked.

Seven from me.