Boulevard

Directed by Dito Montiel, Boulevard follows Robin Williams’ deeply closeted Nolan Mack as he finds himself opening up to a down-on-his-luck street hustler named Leo (Roberto Aguire). It’s promising subject matter that is, for the most part, employed to hopelessly underwhelming and uninvolving effect by Montiel, as the filmmaker, armed with Douglas Soesbe’s screenplay, delivers a stagnant, sluggish drama that contains few elements and attributes of a wholeheartedly compelling nature – with the picture’s arms-length atmosphere perpetuated by an often egregiously deliberate pace and general lack of attention-grabbing interludes and digressions. There’s little doubt, as well, that Williams’ subdued and aggressively closed-off performance makes it awfully difficult, if not impossible, to continuously connect with his one-note character, which is a shame, ultimately, given the massive potential afforded by the admittedly sympathetic bent of Nolan’s plight. By the time the somewhat interminable final third rolls around, Boulevard has cemented its place as a misfire that feels like it could (and should) be so much better.

*1/2 out of ****