Phone Booth

Review - Joel Schumacher has finally made a movie that I don't hate. (That's not entirely true but it's the first in more than 10 years; 'Cousins' was in 1989.) Actually I really enjoyed Phone Booth.  It was tense, relieving, small, and short (just over 80 minutes).  A series of combinations that work very well for Schumacher; as his longer dramatic fare has had me dreading his very name attached to a film.

What you know about the film is that a man answers a ringing phone in a phone booth on a New York street.  The caller tells him that if he should hang up the phone he will be killed.  The caller is a man with an agenda and our receiver is going to face a few things about himself.

That's pretty much it.  Almost the entire film takes place within this phone booth.  It makes for cramped quarters and gives the film a good level of tension.  I was constantly wondering how this man will deal with the next set of circumstances and for me that made it time well spent.

I hope that you will enjoy it.  You most likely will, but the subject matter seems a bit tame in light of other things in the world but I think that helps the film to be a bit more endearing.  By returning ourselves to what may be the most important aspect of life.  Hmmm.  No, it isn't deep.

Colin Farrell does a great job as Stu our resident phone receiver.  He gets to cover the gambit of emotions; effectively flexing some acting muscles that will undoubtedly get him the eventual Oscar Nominated role (No he won't be nominated for Phone Booth).  The rest of the cast does nothing special, but then there really isn't much for them to do in Phone Booth.  They all seem to provide the seques for Stu's emotional ride.

About the One Line Review.  Phone Booth will transfer very well to television.  With only a handful of curse words needing to be removed.  And I expect no impact from their exclusion.  Schumacher has done a pretty good job with Phone Booth and I'm glad to give him some credit again.

-m-