Phone Booth

Starring: Colin Farrell, Forrest Whittaker, Katie Holmes, Kiefer Sutherland
Directed by: Joel Schumacher
Rating: R
Genre: Thriller
2003

Times Seen:
Tim: 2

Summary: A cocky publicist (Colin Farrell) is cornered in a phone booth by an unseen assassin (Kiefer Sutherland) who threatens to shoot him the second he leaves the booth. After an accident, the police arrive and suspect the hostage to be the guilty of a shooting.

Review:

Tim: I found Phone Booth to be a very bold movie. I'd like to have seen the first pitch of this movie- a guy is held hostage in a phone booth for an hour and half. This is not your typical movie. The vast majority of the film features only Farrell in a phone booth. It would be quite easy for this movie to just be a ridiculous, boring film. Luckily, it's not (although many critics disagree with me).

Contrary to the criticism leveled at this film, I believe Phone Booth is an excellent thriller. Schumacher directs a film where the suspense continues to build and build as the movie progresses. One aspect of the film that helps create suspense is the inspired casting choice of Kiefer Sutherland to voice the unseen killer. His voice is what makes the film as thrilling as it is. Sutherland is so creepy and by not showing his face, it only plays on the imagination and enhances the suspense of the film. Colin Farrell should also be applauded because it is only him that we see for most of the film. His performance is terrific as he goes from not taking the threat seriously to desperately fearing for his life in less than an hour. He is called upon to hold the film together and he succeeds. Forest Whittaker is decent as the police negotiator, and Katie Holmes is wasted on a small, meaningless role.

Joel Schumacher should be applauded for taking such a simple yet risky idea and turning it into a truly entertaining film. The low point of the movie in my eyes are the scenes with the prostitutes. You have to pay attention here, because they are so annoying and they make their scenes the worst of the film. However, besides that, Phone Booth is a smart, fast-paced thriller that deserves several viewings.



Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 8



If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend:
Tigerland, Minority Report, American Outlaws, God Told Me To