Coming Out at 60: Director Dito Monteil on Robin Williams' Final Role in 'Boulevard'

It was the sad truth that Robin Williams, whose extroverted public persona brought laughter to millions of American homes with the string of comedies for which he was famous, hid the chronic depression that led to his taking his life. It was this extreme difference between his public face and his private unhappiness that made his suicide a year ago both shocking and heart-wrenching.

Williams was recognized as one of the best comedians of this generation beginning on television with "Mork & Mindy," than on film in such roles as the "shock jock" DJ in "Good Morning, Vietnam" to the crusty British nanny in "Mrs Doubtfire." He was nominated numerous times for an Oscar ("Good Morning, Vietnam," "Dead Poets Society" and "The Fisher King"), finally winning in 1998 for playing a psychologist in "Good Will Hunting" opposite Matt Damon and Ben Affleck.

In "Boulevard," which is billed as his last role, William plays Nolan Mack, a 60-year old bank officer in Nashville, which could easily pass off as most urban cities, who discovers his affection for men while in a 40-year marriage to Joy (Kathy Baker). It is conceivable that the person whom he picks to explore this newly found sexuality is the first gay person that is available to him, in the form of a street hustler Leo (Roberto Aguire). There is no doubt that Mack still loves his wife, but this journey of self-discovery is one that he must take no matter how late in his life this may be.

Director Dito Montiel has crafted an urban tale based on the screenplay of Douglas Soesbe. It is a story less about coming out and more on the need to have an authentic life. Montiel has directed some of Hollywood's best actors, namely Robert Downey Jr and Shia LaBeouf (in "A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints"); Channing Tatum and Terrence Howard (in "Fighting"); again Tatum and Al Pacino (in "The Son of No One"); and Liam Hemsworth and Dwayne Johnson (in "Empire State"). His next movie will be "Man Down" with Jai Courtney and Shia LaBeouf.

But "Boulevard" is a distinctly different film: less action, smaller in scale, more intimate in the way it tells its story. What this film will be remembered for is showing Robin Williams' complexity, range and depth as an actor. Stephen Holden of the New York Times notes, "Under his bland exterior, he is emotionally curled into a fetal position. The performance is so convincing that you can't help wondering to what degree Nolan resembles the more somber Robin Williams, who died in August." Variety's Peter Debruge compares this to the other dramatic roles Williams has played before and writes, "Tapping into that same loneliness felt in 'One Hour Photo' and 'Good Will Hunting,' the actor projects a regret so deep and identifiable, viewers should have no trouble connecting it to whatever is missing in their own lives, whether those regrets are romantic, sexual, professional or spiritual."

EDGE catches up with Director Dito Montiel as "Boulevard" rolls into theaters.

A quiet film

EDGE: 'Boulevard' is a departure from the action movies that you're known for such as 'Fighting,' 'The Son of No One' and 'Empire State.' Why did you decide to make this small indie drama?

Dito Montiel: I'm excited about stories that are about what people are going through, whatever that may be. You read something and it touches you. This film just touches me and you put yourself in the film a little and see what you can do for it. I thought about my parents divorcing in their 70s, and wonder, 'how do you go on with your life?'

EDGE: What drew you to this story?

Dito Montiel: One of the aspects is that he is gay. But for me, it's much more of a story about letting go of a lot of your life at that age. The character in the film spent 40 years of his life in the closet. But it's not just a coming out story. If he were 23, it might be a story about coming out. But for me it's more about the complications at that age. I do believe that the husband and wife love each other but it just didn't work. It's just the sort of thing that excited me. I'm a fan of complicated relationships, people who don't know how to talk to each other. This one was right up there.

EDGE: This story reminds you about your parents' divorce?

Dito Montiel: It wasn't for that reason (that the husband is gay). It was that two people that married and now are still together. At some point, I said to my mother, 'What are you going to do now?' She said, 'I'm not done yet.' That stuck with me while I was working on the script.

A long journey

EDGE: This film has taken a long time to reach the public. It premiered in film festivals last year and was only distributed this summer. Has it been a tough journey to get this film screened?

Dito Montiel: If you make a movie about a person in his 60s coming out, it's not going to break the box office. Then you have to find someone who loves it enough, who is willing to say, let's find an audience for it. Luckily we did. Luckily, we went to enough festivals and found a home in Paladin Pictures who seems to understand it. You make the movie because you were moved by it, something about the story, in telling it, maybe a small story that touches you. That's why we were all making it and luckily we did find a home for it. It's difficult for this type of movie sometimes.

EDGE: How did you get Robin Williams to come on board?

Dito Montiel: He was there right from the beginning. We started speaking right from the top. He was interested. To me, I was really excited about him doing the role for a million reasons besides the fact that he's a great actor, he was also this public persona. He was this guy who is bigger than life, who once jumped out of the chair on David Letterman. That was really exciting. I thought he would be really interesting to watch in such a quiet role and knew he was a good enough actor to pull it off. It was lucky for us.

Working with Williams

EDGE: What was your working process with Robin Williams to create this character?

Dito Montiel: I would get in there and make a lot of changes to the script for him. You initially like the script, then you start to find a way to put yourself into it; and the actor wants to do the same thing. Both Robin and Kathy Baker were very strong in wanting certain things. They wanted a story about a loving relationship that just wasn't right and letting go at this age. They put a lot of work into that. When we were rehearsing scenes, we discovered things in it. For instance, hey lie in bed in a scene and say 'I love you.' That was never a part of the script, but in rehearsals it sounded right. They do love each other, so it was a work-in-progress the whole way.

EDGE: It could be argued that this could be Robin Williams' best role in his career. This is also one of Robin Williams' last performances that we got to see from him. What comes to your mind?

Dito Montiel: Well, it's weird. Movies are weird. I've done every other weird job in the world, but this is the weirdest. It's like life speeded up. You meet somebody. Then on Monday, Tuesday, you want to talk about the most intimate things about the characters. You have to create a 40-year relationship really fast. Three months later, you all say goodbye to each other, and then you hope to see other back on the street or when the movie comes out. Life is tricky.

Crossing the line

EDGE: There is a hint of the isolation and depression that Williams was going through and you were able to get that part of him on screen...

Dito Montiel: I think every artist puts a bit of himself into their work. You try to tap into yourself mixed with a fictional character - to cross lines when you're trying to get into something really personal. It's a personal film, regardless. People will read into what they do. It's hard for me to tell. We would rehearse the scene and we talk about what the character is going through; then try to get it. We tried to keep it as honest as we could.

EDGE: What can you share with us in the process of making this film about Robin Williams?

Dito Montiel: I am fan, just like everybody else. You grew up watching him in a million different things, from a comedian to a dramatic actor. It's exciting just to get a call from him. Then you meet him. For a guy that's as famous as he is, with all the money and accolades in the world, he didn't need this little movie. He did everything in this film, we would talk all night long about the next scene at three in the morning to get it right. That was pretty cool when you're dealing with a guy who doesn't need to be there. He cared that much; but then again, you don't show up a movie like this for any other reason than you want to do something special. It was like that with him, Kathy Baker, Bob Odenkirk (who plays Williams' colleague/best friend) and Roberto Aguire. They wanted to be there.

Changes made?

EDGE: What was your most challenging scene to shoot in this movie?

Dito Montiel: There were so many complicated scenes. For instance there was a scene when he comes back to the room after Leo, it was one of the few times that Robin's character got really loud, but we couldn't get it. From rehearsing to filming, it just wasn't happening. It was one of the nights that we took a long walk at two in the morning and then went back to the shoot. There was a kiss in the scene, and Robin was like, 'why would I kiss him in this scene?' and I said to forget it. Once we got rid of it, it went back to what the scene was about.

EDGE: Were there some things that has changed in the process of making this film?

Dito Montiel: It was Leo's character at first, I would see him much more as somebody who wants to get money from this weird old guy who wants to keep talking to him. The more that we worked on the character, the more it started to become more complex. I'm not even sure if Leo's character was gay or he was just out on the street. He just wants to get his money as quickly as he can. I was impressed with how touching their relationship was as well, because it was a mess. Everywhere Robin Williams went in the film, he was creating a full mess. After all these years of keeping it together, it was falling apart. That was fun. It's the little things. That's what happens when you bring in great actors. You can't go wrong with those guys.

EDGE: How would you sum up Robin Williams' performance?

Dito Montiel: For me, it was honest. It was tricky because you're dealing with such a delicate issue. Here's a man, he's gay. He's also married. He's also suppressing his life right down to job that he doesn't want to be at. It's something a lot of people can feel in their own way whether it's a relationship, or job, or a lot of things in life. I thought that he did that in such a quiet way that was really honest.

EDGE: Your next movie 'Man Down' is another action movie. Would you miss making little dramatic pieces like this?

Dito Montiel: They're always dramatic to me. I try to find the honesty in all these films. 'Man Down,' there are a lot of complicated issues as well. It's certainly a different kind of film. I try to keep the film as honest as I can, even if it's a little bigger.

EDGE: What do you hope the audience to experience with 'Boulevard?'

Dito Montiel: I hope they enjoy it. There's a tagline that says, you can always turn your life around. Hopefully some people take that away. The film is about saying goodbye at that age. It changes the dynamic. You can make a change in your life. My mother did.

"Boulevard" is playing in select cities.