Boulevard
kicks off like a melancholic
Pretty Woman
. Driving alone at night, listless Nolan (Robin Williams) unwittingly picks up young hustler Leo (
Roberto Aguire
), whom he nearly hits with his car. Nolan offers a ride, Leo offers sexual favors, and Nolan is as taken aback as he is intrigued. Yet the film is a sexless exploration of sexual orientation. Nolan adopts more of a paternal role toward Leo, in return for the long-awaited reassurance that Nolan is indeed gay. Throughout
Boulevard
, one wonders if Nolan ever would have been true to himself if he hadn't met Leo, or if he would've just stayed married to Joy (Kathy Baker). It feels like a privilege that Williams's tenderhearted final performance puts a face on a silently suffering subset of our community: men who struggle to be themselves long after crafting a life they thought was mandatory. In a small way, Williams shows those men the light at tunnel's end.
Boulevard
is currently in select theaters. Watch the trailer below:
