Almost a year after his passing, comes Robin Williams’ last movie (he has done voice work for a film expected to be released in 2016) in the Dito Montiel’s dramatic film Boulevard. It is a normal, mundane and heart-wrenching video film for that it features Williams. Seeing Boulevard, it is almost a Herculean task to avoid analysis of the minutest of details in search of signs telling about the state of the protagonist’s mind.
True, Williams is neither a CEO nor a business strategist in the film, but rather an everyday employee of the bank named Nolan Mack. Nolan is married to a woman called Joy (Kathy Baker), who loves him, and whom he loves too, but they do not share a bed. They do not even see each other appear that much. He is a bitter man in spite of having a wife, a good friend Bob Odenkirk, and the prospects of being promoted on the bank ladder. This is partially explained by taking care of a sick father, but there is more to this than just that which troubles Nolan. He feels there is something missing and for which he tries to make up by hiring Leo, a male escort. Although they do not engage in sexual activity, Nolan does not sleep with Leo; Nolan however does spend a lot of time in his company and a relationship develops between the two over the course of the movie.
Some of the aspects of this tale provide for a nasty dose of déjà vu – things go haywire for Nolan, he runs out of luck in managing to keep his enigma away from his wife and friends, and he becomes dangerously infatuated with Leo. Boulevard even includes the obligatory where Nolan is furious with him when that someone has sex with other people instead exerts that concept.
Although this predictability may be indeed discouraging, there are other facets which take the film above this level. Unsurprisingly, this includes observing Nolan struggle with his homosexuality. This is something that he seems to have been struggling with for ages but has perhaps resolved and, may even take action on it now. Williams is much more natural in this respect too. Boulevard does not spend, in fact wastes, so much time on Nolan’s internal monologue as to what he feels at the moment or what thoughts are running through his head; it makes him work and this actor works.
Nolan’s development in the film is gradual, increasing step by step. It is entirely understandable that there are parts of the movie that one wishes he calls out to Nolan to break from his fears, accept his feelings and speak up to his wife and his closest friend, their relationship with Leo, their thoughts and everything. He is unable to do so however, and it’s quite clear from Nolan’s eyes, the way Williams presents himself. Leo makes Nolan feel satisfied, but rather deep anguish accompanies this relief. It is only about that particular experience with Leo that he feels such deep disgust about, but rather every single one he had in his life.
It is quite normal when perceiving Nolan’s life as well to try to understand the life of Williams. At the beginning of the film, he is directly asked, if correct, Nolans’s immediate supervisor appears and asks, “Are you happy?” For sure each member of the audience will in this case raise their eyes to the gaze of Williams, only hoping to receive a reply not as Nolan, but as the actor. Such an answer does not exit — and how would it, but every person has a need to find one. A similar thing happens when Nolan talks about death and about people leaving being unfair.
It’s not just Williams who is on a peak in this chapter. Both Baker and Odenkirk are brilliant in their performances and one can especially commend Baker in particular. The back and forth Judith has with Nolan concerning a cruise that Judith insists that they ought to go on, as well as Nolan’s lies and bizarre conduct is heart-wrenching, as is Nolan’s reaction. This is not simply an affair where two people wish to jump on each other’s bones. These are two people who feel love for each other, whereas they would both have wished it was different. The film exhibits constant relationship growth with an unresolved tension that builds up towards a particular scene that nearly everyone in the audience is aware of, yet still remarkably impactful.
Conclusion
Robin Williams has done better work and there are other films where the story is a little less stale. Still, Boulevard has its own merits that cannot be overlooked. It is a film where people are bound to have some emotions towards the characters because it is centered on good performances together with some laughs and tear jerking moments. Any other role as Williams’s swan song on screen is still hard to comprehend and coming up with a suitable closing would be rather impossible but Boulevard somehow fits the bill. Unbeknownst to Williams, it does not allow him to dip his performance into some throbbing parts of brilliant comedy bordering on the contempt for its absurdity, nor is it a role that is meant to be classic in any way, but it works.
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