Phone Booth

Rating:
Summary: suspenseful psycological thriller
Review: To many, the idea of a whole story being based on a sniper harassing a man in a phone booth sounds overly simplistic and not very interesting. One of the main reasons I decided to watch this film however was because of the simplicity of the story. There are very few films that can take a simple idea like this one and turn it into a good film with action and suspense. The action in this film is mostly found in the dialogue between the sniper and the man in the phone booth. There is suspense in not knowing exactly where the sniper is and when he will strike.

Forest Whitaker, Colin Farrell and the sniper on the phone are the three characters who mostly make the film. All of the other characters were in the film simply to add drama to the story.

A recent news story that happened in Pennsylvania (the pizza bomber) reminded me of this film. What happened there was even more strange than what happens in this film.

Rating:
Summary: coulda, shoulda, woulda
Review: in all honesty here, when i first saw the movie trailers for this movie on the tube, i thought it was nothing more than another "hollywood" thriller not the worth the celluloid it was shot on, so i awaited for it to come out on dvd/on demand tv, well the movie starts out pretty damn good and stays that way for 2/3s of the way, and then theres the ending which feels like, well there isn't much of a bloody ending. and it is baffling because like i said a good deal of the movie is above par hollywood material(notice i mentioned hollywood, lets not get ahead of ourselves here) that actually had potential to be a good dramatic thriller, but then why a non-ending that simply doesn't measure upto what the movie coulda, shoulda, woulda been, and the sad realisation is: this was just another concept movie made to try and make some quick money, its just a shame because this one coulda been more.

Rating:
Summary: Unfairly reviewed.
Review: I think this movie is getting bashed unfairly. Granted, when the setting of an 88 minute film is a lone phone booth in the middle of a bustling town of self-absorbed automatons, there is going to be a lot of dialogue. I think Joel Shumacher has done a wonderful job with the script he was given, adding nicely done camera work and a claustrophobic shooting style that ramps up the tension quite well. The multiple frame shots also break up the monotony of the street scenes very nicely. Colin Farrell is outstanding in the lead role, at once a mangled jumble of nerves and regret. Keifer Sutherland drips pure malice as the sniper and the supporting cast performs adequately. All told this is not a bad film. Taken at face value it is a great way to spend a rainy afternoon. Recommended.

Rating:
Summary: One Life Changing Call . . .
Review: Many found that Phone Booth was boring, badly scripted, and so on. I myself (agreeing with many critics) found it to be EXTREMELY tenseful and engrossing. Once that phone call started, my heart was pounding like a beast. Joel Schumacher, the director of many films (St. Elmo's Fire, Batman & Robin), definately had a hard task of making a movie all around one phone booth. But he suceeded in bringing tons of intense moments and so forth. Colin Ferrell does a fine job of bringing the greedy Stu Shepard to life. Forest Whitaker, the cop who is dealing with the situation, did a great job in the realism of his character. He was fun to watch. Kiefer Sutherland, the sniper on the phone, was also great even though you just hear his voice.

Phone Booth is the story of a man, Stu Shepard, who's a tricky PR guy and a cheating husband. When he stops in a Manhattan phone booth to call his second love (girl he's cheating with), he gets a call from an odd man. He then realizes, thanks to a red dot, that he's being pinned in the booth my a sniper. After a little inconvenice with hookers and their manager, the cops are all around, while Stu is stuck on the phone with a maniac.

Phone Booth was a great film and finely crafted. Rent this movie. I dont really think the DVD is worth the money (only a commentary). This was one tense film. Enjoy

Rating:
Summary: Sniper On Line One
Review: Oh, yeah. It's been awhile since I've watched a white-knuckle thriller--a seat-squirming, heartburning, hit-the-pause-button-while-you-run-to-the-john pumper thumper. PHONE BOOTH takes a simple--almost ridiculous--premise and turns it into an 80-minute rollercoaster ride. Director Joel Schumacher should have included the instructions, "Hold onto your seat" on the DVD cover.

Okay, so the film has a few problems, beginning with the sleaziness of the protagonist, Stu Shepard (played wonderfully by Colin Farrell). Stu is not exactly the kind of guy one would like to have as a business partner--or, as it turns out, as a faithful spouse--yet over the course of the movie Farrell effectively brings humility and humanity to the character. In addition, the sniper's control of the entire story requires a major suspension of disbelief, and the inability of police on the scene to quickly determine the person Stu is talking to on the phone as the "bad guy" is mind-boggling.

But who cares? PHONE BOOTH still delivers a spine-tingling thriller, centered around a terrified man unable to leave a phone booth lest the sniper (the magnificently evil voice of Kiefer Sutherland) would cut him down. Forest Whitaker is also solid, albeit dense, as the police officer in charge of negotiating Stu out of the phone booth. The ending is predictable, yet still wickedly done. Put some handrails on your recliner and enjoy.
--D. Mikels

Rating:
Summary: Farrell is a Star
Review: Verification that Farrell is more than "just" tons of charisma, Phone Booth stands with Tigerland as demonstrations of great acting although they are both somewhat weak movies. There is real tension, and while Farrell's character should have been more "sinful" to fully flesh out this movie, Whitaker is always amazing even in his weak role here.
Interesting and commendable how Farrell doesn't remain beautiful with perfect hair and makeup as so many other of todays top actors do in spite of perilous situations they encounter in the movies.
This movie takes some chances-and mostly pulls it off. One of the better movies I have seen this year.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent
Review: I get nervous whenever I pick up a phone sometimes thanks to this movie. It was great. The critics really are wrong about this movie.

Rating:
Summary: really good
Review: this movie was great. colin farrell's performance was amazing, even though his accent was kind of weird in the beginning. though this movie doesn't really have much of a plot and the setting is in one place, a phone booth, it was still a pretty good movie. the ending was kinda creepy though...
well, this movie was really good and colin farrell is a great actor

Rating:
Summary: "You'll be hearing from me"
Review: Are the last words from the caller's (Kiefer Sutherland) chilling voice to the helpless man in the ambulance.(Colin Farrell). In this brilliant pyscho thriller, we follow an arragant publicist, Stu Shepard. Who constantly shouts lies into his cell phone. When observed by a sniper killer who watches him everyday, who thinks Stu should be punished. What better punishment is there by being threatened to be killed? Watch out for the surprise in the end in one of my favorite movies, Phone Booth. Expect a phenominal performance by Colin Farrell and don't forget the very chilling voice of Kiefer Sutherland. This movie is so underated. Be careful next time you answer the phone.

Rating:
Summary: **** GRIPPING STUFF ****
Review: For a couple of years now (since Tigerland) Colin Farrell has been much vaunted as the next big thing but with the exception of his supporting role in Speilberg's Minority Report, Farrell's subsequent additions to his CV have hardly enhanced his reputation. Movies such as Hart's War and The Recruit have left both audiences and critics somewhat underwhelmed, whilst the release of Phone Booth was much delayed due to the real life Washington snipers mindless killing of innocent people.

So what of Phone Booth: Is it any good and does Colin Farrell deserve the tag of next big thing?

Farrell plays Stu Shepard a slimy, unscrupulous, and very small time, Manhattan PR man with a daily habit of using the same old fashioned phone booth to call a prospective client (Katie Holmes) with whom he is trying to start an affair with. After all he wouldn't want his wife to see a mobile phone bill listing calls to other women, would he? Enticed into picking up the ringing phone, Stu becomes trapped by an unseen sniper who tells him that he will be killed if he tries to leave the booth or puts down the phone. 'What do you want?' demands Stu, 'I want your complete attention' replies the sniper (Kiefer Sutherland) and not only does he get Stu's complete attention he gets the audiences too as we watch Stu unravel into a [weak] mess pleading for his life over the next seventy minutes.

With his cocky charm, good looks and uncanny ability to mimic an American accent, Farrell is perfect for the part, which was at one point reportedly earmarked for Will Smith. The Dublin born actor appears to revel in playing the anti-hero forced into confessing his sins by the psycho sniper playing God in order to achieve some form of redemption. There are good supporting performances too from the likes of Forrest Whittaker as the cop in charge at the scene and in particular Kiefer Sutherland as the menacing assassin at the other end of the line.

Written by veteran writer/producer/Director Larry Cohen and Directed by Joel Schumacher, responsible for the very lamentable Batman & Robin, Phone Booth is (in my humble opinion) a very exciting and claustrophobic edge of the seat thriller. Cohen's script and Schumacher's Direction keep the movie lean and tight, steadily cranking up the tension to new heights right up until the movies conclusion. Cohen's script is so ingenious in that it takes an old movie premise (the irresistible ringing phone that has to be answered and the anonymous caller) and gives it a new spin. It's almost hard to believe that this is the same Joel Schumacher responsible for the last two movies of the Batman franchise. Indeed this is very much a return to form for the man that brought us the urban thriller "Falling Down". Keeping you hooked throughout its (by current standards) relatively short running time, it is refreshing to see the old adage that less is sometimes more once again proved true.

..., this is top-drawer entertainment and the best thriller I've seen in a long while. There are certainly much worse ways to spend 81 minutes, so take my advice and give this one a try, I'm sure you wont regret it!!! Four stars ****.